I Can Devour Spirits

Ximen Kankan was barbecuing while sprinkling spices on top. Duan Rong strolled over and sighed, ”Who eats barbecue this early in the morning?”

Ximen Kankan laughed, ”I’m not just in it for the food; I enjoy the process. It’s about the mood, you know, the fun...”

Ximen Kankan spoke with a melodious rhythm, and Duan Rong chuckled silently to himself. That short fellow’s show-off habit was acting up again.

”Shi Kang, go to the cellar and bring a jar of that old brew,” Ximen Kankan instructed over his shoulder.

Shi Kang heard this and immediately turned to leave.

Seeing Shi Kang leaving, Duan Rong glanced around before stepping closer to whisper, ”Any news about the Dragon Flame Fat?”

Ximen Kankan was flipping a piece of pork belly and sprinkling spices. Upon hearing this, he also scanned the surroundings and said, ”Not yet! It should be soon, calculating by the days. Old Qin should be back any day now!”

Since there was no news about the Dragon Flame Fat, Duan Rong figured he would have to wait. But he had come to spar with Ximen Kankan; he didn’t have time to hang around just for barbecue.

”Hey!” Duan Rong called out to Ximen Kankan.

”What?”

”How about we spar a bit?”

”Spar what?” Ximen Kankan was taken aback. ”Betting?”

”What betting? Saber technique!” Duan Rong patted the Cow Tail Saber at his waist.

”Are you nuts? On such a beautiful day, why practice saber techniques? Fighting and killing, it’s as tasteless as boiling qin and crane!” Ximen Kankan replied, glancing at Duan Rong.

Boiling qin and crane?! Since when did you become so refined?

Duan Rong wanted to mock Ximen Kankan a bit, but seeing the reluctant look in Ximen Kankan’s eyes, he suddenly held his tongue. It was clear that Ximen Kankan really wasn’t into martial arts! More than just disliking it—he seemed downright annoyed by it.

Despite his unique talent, Ximen Kankan truly loathed cultivation. If not for his father Ximen Yong’s constant pressure, he never would have achieved the Fourth Level of Inner Breath.

But ever since achieving the Fourth Level, his father, seeing that entering the Taiyi Sect was no problem, hadn’t pushed as hard.

So in reality, Ximen Kankan had only been enjoying his freedom for less than half a year!

Duan Rong’s eyes flickered as he said, ”How about this: you spar with me, and I’ll draw an erotic painting for you!”

”Really?” Ximen Kankan jumped, his eyes lighting up. ”Like last time?”

”Yes,” Duan Rong nodded.

”In that case... deal!”

Ximen Kankan’s eyes flickered as he said, ”Let’s be clear first: how many days of sparring for one painting?”

”Five days!”

”Three days!” Ximen Kankan haggled.

”Alright, three days it is!” Duan Rong, not wanting to waste more words with him, agreed since drawing an erotic painting wasn’t all that much trouble for him.

”Alright, let’s do this!” Ximen Kankan swiftly unsheathed his Moon Blade Scimitar and said, ”I’m practicing our Ximen Family’s ancestral saber technique, Thunder Smoke Saber! Watch out!”

As Ximen Kankan was about to attack, Duan Rong quickly shouted, ”Wait a second!”

”What’s wrong?”

”What realm are you in?”

”Fourth Level, Great Success Realm!”

Duan Rong’s breath caught, slightly surprised. He thought to himself, is this short fellow really that impressive?

”I’m only at the Second Level, Mastery Realm. Control your inner breath so you don’t shatter my weapon.”

”Got it, let’s go.”

Duan Rong drew his Cow Tail Saber, and the two instantly exchanged a few moves.

At first, they were just testing each other. Neither fully unleashed their power. Ximen Kankan initially suppressed his inner breath a bit, causing his grip to tremble. But he soon increased his breath level and they were pretty much evenly matched.

Suddenly, Duan Rong used Cloud Serpent Step and executed all the moves he had been pondering. However, Ximen Kankan effortlessly nullified each one, dealing with them casually.

After a few moves, Ximen Kankan suddenly struck the blade of Duan Rong’s Cow Tail Saber with the hilt of his scimitar. This disrupted Duan Rong’s techniques, and Ximen Kankan leaped up, slicing off a lock of Duan Rong’s hair.

Ximen Kankan caught the fallen hair and smiled at Duan Rong, ”A cut hair is like a severed head, you lost!”

Duan Rong nodded, complimenting, ”Great saber technique!”

Ximen Kankan’s techniques were indeed formidable; at times as swift as lightning, other times they dazzled with feints and illusions!

Duan Rong muttered, ”Thunder Smoke Saber...”

Hearing Duan Rong’s praise, Ximen Kankan smiled joyously, on the verge of showing off when suddenly Shi Kang’s voice came from behind, ”Young master! The meat’s burnt!”

”Oh no!” Ximen Kankan immediately jumped and ran back to the fire pit at the entrance of the snow-covered dwelling.

Seeing the charred layer on the pork belly and chicken legs, Ximen Kankan felt heartbroken; he had sprinkled quite a bit of spices and even brushed on a layer of honey.

Ximen Kankan took down the burnt meat and handed it to Shi Kang, saying coldly, ”Shi Kang, go feed this to the dog!”

Shi Kang took the charred meat, eyeing it doubtfully, ”Will a dog eat this?”

”If the dog won’t eat it, then you eat it,” Ximen Kankan glared angrily at Shi Kang.

Having been yelled at for no reason, Shi Kang had no choice but to go feed the charred meat to the dog.

Over in the grassy area, Duan Rong was waving the Cow Tail Saber. His techniques were disjointed, occasionally pausing to think deeply...

He was reorganizing and pondering based on the exchange with Ximen Kankan...

Ximen Kankan’s mastery with the Thunder Smoke Saber was exquisite, giving Duan Rong significant inspiration!

Seeing Duan Rong practicing erratically in the grass like he was possessed, Ximen Kankan puckered his lips and said, ”What’s the point of martial arts? With all that fighting and killing! Why is he so obsessed with this stuff, practicing is so hard, isn’t that being too hard on yourself?”

”For an artist who’s so good at drawing erotic paintings to be this obsessed with martial arts, that’s truly bizarre!”

Watching Duan Rong lost in his world of technique simulations, Ximen Kankan sighed before grabbing more chicken legs and pork belly to barbecue over the fire...

Duan Rong continued his simulation for almost an hour.

Sitting on the threshold of the snow-covered dwelling, Ximen Kankan munched on barbecued meat and drank the green-glowing old brew, calling out, ”Stop practicing and eat something! These chicken legs are deliciously crispy... just look at the oil dripping...”

Ximen Kankan tore off a piece of chicken and stuffed it into his mouth, but Duan Rong seemed not to hear, relentlessly practicing his half-learned saber moves in the grass.

After another half-hour, Duan Rong suddenly turned around and said, ”Let’s go again!”

”Here we go!” Ximen Kankan jumped up from the threshold, wiping his oil-glistening lips.

Ximen Kankan was intrigued now; he was curious to see what Duan Rong could come up with after pondering for an hour and a half. He couldn’t believe martial arts could improve just by thinking about them.

After a few moves, Duan Rong still lost.

”Not bad, it wasn’t in vain, you lasted three more moves than last time!” Ximen Kankan laughed.

Ximen Kankan was surprised internally; Duan Rong’s techniques this time were more cunning and fierce than during their initial duel.

Could it be that just by pondering, one’s martial arts could improve?

That was a bit spooky.

Duan Rong sighed, finding Ximen Kankan’s techniques genuinely formidable.

Looking up at the sky, Duan Rong said, ”Let’s call it a day, we’ll continue tomorrow.”

Finishing his sentence, Duan Rong sheathed his saber and left, intending to practice the Third Level of Inner Breath since spending all his time on saber techniques would be putting the cart before the horse.

”Three days for one painting, a day has already passed!” Ximen Kankan shouted.

”It was clearly only half a day!” Duan Rong replied without stopping.

”Sneaky!” Ximen Kankan felt a bit deflated; he was already eager to see what Duan Rong’s next erotic painting would look like!