My Martial Arts Level Never Drops

Chapter 350: Chapter 173: Grievous News

Qin Fang was momentarily stunned...

...His master, senior brothers, and the others were missing.

And now, even his senior sister, who might have been able to find out what happened... had met with such a fate?

This...

A sense of confusion filled his eyes... For a moment, he didn’t know what to do or where to go.

The voices of the elders around him grew faint and indistinct.

A long time passed before Fan Zhengchu’s voice sounded again. ”Qin Fang, have you made your decision?”

The words pulled Qin Fang back to reality.

He closed his eyes and let out a long breath. Gradually, the confusion in his heart began to recede.

’Master and Senior Sister are both in trouble. Senior Sister was taken away by her deranged master... Since she was ’taken,’ she should still be alive.’

’But Master and my senior brothers are a different story... They set out for the Prefecture City last year, but never arrived.’

’Thinking it over, there’s only one danger they could have possibly encountered on their journey...’

’The Blood Luo Sect!’

The Blood Luo Sect!

A crimson glint appeared behind Qin Fang’s closed eyelids, and the fists hidden within his wide sleeves clenched tightly.

’...If I can’t find them, I have to assume they’ve already been killed!’

He thought of his kind master, his gentle master’s wife, the senior brothers who treated him like family, and then Monkey, Xiao Qi, Qinghe, Xiao Jiu...

The ferocity in Qin Fang’s eyes intensified.

...It was a good thing his eyes were closed, or the sheer killing intent would have shocked everyone around him.

’...For now, I’ll have to lay this debt of blood at the feet of the Blood Luo Sect!’

However, the Blood Luo Sect was no ordinary organization. From Qian Ruhai’s description, he already knew it was a massive Evil Cult that caused trouble all across the Great Yu.

The current Qin Fang was certainly no match for them.

’...The Heavenly Gang Wuji Sect might not even be a match for them!’

’No rush. I’ll take it slow.’

’I... have plenty of time!’

One day, when he grew to the level of the owner of that giant hand...

Perhaps then, he would have the power to seek revenge!

He let out a long breath and opened his eyes again.

When he opened them, his gaze was clear, showing no trace of anything unusual.

He bowed to Fan Zhengchu and said, ”Thank you for your guidance, Elder.”

Fan Zhengchu waved his hand and smiled. ”So, have you made up your mind?”

After a moment of contemplation, Qin Fang said respectfully, ”This disciple wishes to join the Guiyuan Lineage.”

Fan Zhengchu’s eyes instantly lit up.

But before he could speak, Elder Lei beside him grew anxious. ”Hey, wait, wait, wait, think this through! All the Guiyuan Lineage does is hole up at home tinkering with artifacts. It’s incredibly boring! You’re so young, why would you choose to join the Guiyuan Lineage?! You’re the top disciple! Show some of the Sharpness a top disciple should have! Nine Hell is where you belong!”

”The Guiyuan Lineage will only sap your ambition and grind down your edge! Wuhui is the right choice for you!” Elder Ling shouted sternly.

”I saw the endless killing intent surging in your heart just now. Others might not have noticed, but I did! Why suppress it? Come to my Luzhan, and forge that killing intent into your strongest blade. That is the true path!” the Luzhan Red-robed Elder also exclaimed in a deep voice.

”Hey, you, why would you want to hang around a bunch of old fossils all day? Isn’t that boring?! Jinghong is the top choice...” Elder Lu was also getting frantic.

Only Su Nian of the Celestial Martial Lineage kept her head down, her expression downcast...

’It’s useless to say anything now.’

Because the Celestial Martial Lineage truly wasn’t a good choice.

Never mind Qin Fang... even she, back in the day, if someone had told her all this, she probably would have never chosen to join the Celestial Martial Lineage...

Its Cultivation Techniques were difficult to master, its membership had dwindled, and its influence Within the Sect was weak...

...And on top of that, there was the cautionary tale of the Dao Body.

’Who in their right mind would choose to join the Celestial Martial Lineage?’

Seeing the eagerness of the surrounding elders, Qin Fang let out a light breath and bowed respectfully. ”Thank you, esteemed elders, for your undeserved favor.”

”This disciple is well aware that the Nine Hell Power can shake mountains, the Wuhui Blade can break all techniques, the Slaughter of War can intimidate all foes, and the Jinghong Transformation is divinely unpredictable. All are Heaven-Reaching Great Paths that one can only aspire to.”

”However, this disciple comes from humble origins. My journey thus far has taught me that the path of Martial Arts is long and fraught with peril. While revealing one’s Sharpness may be gratifying, that which is too rigid is easily broken. To blindly seek speed and change risks creating an unstable foundation. The path of slaughter makes it even easier to lose one’s true self... This disciple believes that the most important aspect of Martial Arts cultivation is ’Strengthening the Foundation and Cultivating Essence.’ Only with a foundation as firm as a boulder and Qi Blood like a long river can one walk steadily and far on the long path, accumulating strength for a powerful release.”

”The Guiyuan Lineage’s philosophy of ’Hidden Blade and Simple-mindedness,’ of overcoming all techniques through defense, best fits this disciple’s current Heart Realm and long-term goals... This is a decision made after deep reflection. I have no intention of disparaging the other Great Paths, and I implore the elders to grant my request.”

After speaking, he gave a deep, respectful bow, holding it until he was bent to the ground.

After hearing him, the elders were all stunned.

But after a moment, they all sighed softly.

Although their faces still showed reluctance and regret, Qin Fang’s words were reasonable, and his attitude was both respectful and firm. As esteemed seniors, it was ultimately inappropriate for them to insist further.

”Sigh... Fine. Since your mind is made up.” Elder Lei sighed and ultimately said no more.

Elder Ling Juefeng stared at Qin Fang for a moment with his sharp gaze, but in the end, he just shook his head, turned, and left, leaving behind a sharp-edged silhouette.

The Luzhan Red-robed Elder gave Qin Fang a deep look, his voice hoarse. ”Remember the killing intent you felt just now. I hope that on your path of ’defense,’ you don’t forget *why* you must defend.” With that, he also turned and left.

Elder Lu of the Jinghong Lineage gave a bitter smile. ”A pity, what a pity...” Shaking his head, his figure flickered and vanished like a fleeting swan.

A gratified smile finally appeared on Elder Fan Zhengchu’s face. He stroked his beard, nodded, and chuckled. ”Enlightenment of the Heart and Nature, not one to follow the crowd... Your disposition is truly excellent, a perfect match for the true path of my Guiyuan Lineage. Qin Fang, from this day forward, you are an Inner Sect Disciple of the Guiyuan Lineage. Come with me. I’ll take you to our lineage’s halls and introduce you to your senior brothers and sisters.”

”Yes.”

Qin Fang bowed to accept the command and followed Fan Zhengchu away from the grand hall’s plaza.

Su Nian stood stunned for a moment before letting out a soft sigh and leaving, dejected.

The great drama of snatching up a disciple had come to a close.

The remaining disciples, Shen Han and the others, looked at each other in dismay.

”So... what about us? No elders invited us to join a lineage just now...”

an Inner Sect Disciple asked in a low, hesitant voice.

”You still expect to be personally invited by the elders of the various lineages? Dream on!”

A Noble Family’s Heir sighed. ”Our class produced a monster like Qin Fang, reaching True Essence at twenty. That’s the only reason the lineage elders came out to invite someone personally. Normally? Not even the top disciple gets this kind of treatment!”

”We have to apply on our own... and even then, we have to pass a lineage’s Trial to see if we’re suited for their path, and only then can we attain entry-level... Sigh, let’s go, let’s go. Off to the Hidden Dragon Pavilion.”

These Inner Sect Disciples sighed again and again.

Shen Han, Fu Chen, Liu Rushi, and the others watched Qin Fang’s departing back with complicated expressions, but in the end, they just sighed and left with the crowd...