Chapter 19: Entering the Formation, Qin You Himself Kills Yang

Back at the bottom of Deathly Cliff, Qin An Yu saw Qin Youshen practicing sword strokes in a proper manner. Although not perfectly executed, she was very serious. What she called a sword was merely a wooden sword she crafted from scrap wood.

Seeing her serious and meticulous demeanor, he silently praised her, "Very good!" Basic movements are the foundation of future combat. All martial skills and techniques are combinations of basic movements, merely integrated. The more integrated and complete they are, the higher level the martial skill. That senior who achieved divinity with a clumsy body never cultivated martial skills before the Golden Core stage; it was all basic movements, and later, he became unparalleled. He killed so many people—Eagle Gang members and Mang Mountain bandits—actually using only three basic moves: chop, slash, and sweep.

Focused on her sword practice, Qin Youshen didn't notice his return until she finished a set of movements and stopped to rest. Only then did she see him preparing two rabbits, and she asked in surprise, "Young Master, you're back?"

Qin An Yu asked, "How have you been eating these past three days?"

She trotted over and said, "Young Master, have three days really passed? I don't feel like it has."

"So, how many meals have you eaten?"

"Oh, quite a lot then. Young Master helped me roast that big fish; I ate all of it, and I ate one roasted chicken and one roasted duck each. I don't know why, but I feel very hungry."

"Did you read those books?"

"No time. Your servant has been practicing sword. I feel like time flies when I'm practicing sword."

"Your hands aren't sore, not tired?"

"Oh, they were sore and tired, but then it was time to eat, so I just cooked and ate."

Hearing her words, he was speechless. Is that even possible? Was it due to interest or urgency that the soreness and fatigue could disappear so quickly?

He could only say, "Any book in that trunk, whether martial skills or miscellaneous books, you can read."

"Oh, oh, your servant knows. Master and Madam often said that reading can increase knowledge, broaden horizons, and aid cultivation... Oh, wait, your servant forgot, Young Master, how did you return in just three days? When we entered, I felt it took four days from the abyss to here. Did your servant hold you back?"

"Yes."

Actually, he spent less than half a day in the city and nearly two days descending the cliff. During those two days, he basically exhausted his physical strength, pushing his functions to the limit, all to consolidate the previous five realms and the muscle-bone refinement realm.

"Wuwu, then your servant needs to improve quickly, otherwise, I'll keep holding Young Master back."

"That would be troublesome. You'll keep holding me back."

"???"

These words confused Qin Youshen, and she stared at him blankly.

Qin An Yu chuckled. "This time I brought back some rice and flour."

"Young Master, how can your servant catch up to you?"

"If you could catch up to me, wouldn't that make your Young Master seem too foolish?"

"But your servant wants to protect Young Master."

"You said, life must be lived one day at a time. I've cultivated more than 6 years longer than you... Let's not talk about that. In these past few days, has there been anything unusual around here?"

"Yes. I heard birds chirping, pigs grunting, and it seems there were also goats bleating. So originally, I planned to sleep outside, but I had to run back to the cave and block the entrance."

"Alright then. We're eating fresh meat today."

"Are there so many things here? Young Master, I want to go too."

"I bought you a sword. Take it and see if it's comfortable."

Qin Youshen immediately ran to the satchel, took out the sword, and brandished it a few times. "Young Master, it's very suitable!"

He turned and walked, heading up the mountainside. "Let's go, let's find some food."

Qin Youshen followed Qin An Yu forward, growing more surprised with each step. She had originally thought this was just a small ravine, but unexpectedly, after climbing to the ridge, another appeared ahead. That small ravine had many animals, including wild boars, mountain goats, and birds, though they looked somewhat indistinct.

"Young Master, why aren't those beasts running away?"

"They're trapped. Our location is a secret realm, a place for low-level cultivators to train and rest. Further ahead is a combat area. The reason you see them indistinctly is because there's a formation in place."

He had already explored it last time, so he knew everything quite clearly. He also knew that the main formation core was the terrain, with only a few other formation materials. Due to environmental changes, the power of those materials had weakened, causing the formation to gradually weaken. Otherwise, these beasts wouldn't be visible. The beasts in this ravine were all only in the Qi Cultivation realm, but there was another ravine further ahead where they were all in the Qi Refining realm. Because he was only in the fifth realm at that time, he was driven out by a few beasts as soon as he entered that area. He immediately concluded that this place was once a power's training ground for low-level disciples, and it was also the reason he chose to cultivate here.

"Young Master, there are legendary formations here?"

"What else? Formations aren't some incredibly mysterious things. They can be built according to the terrain, or established forcefully through certain means."

"Young Master, you know so much. The Hidden Sect residence has all these things. No wonder everyone wants to go to the sect to cultivate."

Qin An Yu was speechless at this. An outer disciple, how many books could they possibly read?

Seeing Qin An Yu didn't respond, she continued to ramble, "Qin Manor used to have many books. Madam often read them and wanted us to read them too. But later, all those books were moved away by the Second Madam and disappeared."

"From now on, don't call her that in front of me."

"Oh, your servant understands."

Qin An Yu pointed to a mountain goat ahead. "Can you kill it?" That mountain goat was nearly four chi tall, equivalent to an early Qi Cultivation realm stage (early stage includes levels one to three).

She immediately became excited, wielding her sword a few times. "I can!"

Seeing her demeanor, Qin An Yu chuckled, "How do you plan to kill it?"

She replied, "I... I'll stab it to death. Young Master, I've seen goats being slaughtered."

"That's good. The basic principles are the same, it's just that this goat is an early Qi Cultivation realm beast..."

"Ah? It's also a cultivator? Oh, right, so many people collect low-grade medicinal herbs, yet no one has come here. Just by eating and sleeping foolishly, they can advance."

"Let's go in."

The two entered the formation. Their vision immediately became as clear as outside, causing Qin Youshen to exclaim in surprise: "Young Master, the ground here is all bones!"

Although her exclamation was brief, it caught the attention of some beasts. Some even rushed (flew) towards them, including the lead goat.

Qin An Yu asked, "Do you still want to kill that goat now?"

Seeing such a tall mountain goat with such sharp horns, Qin Youshen felt apprehensive, but she didn't retreat. She quickly said decisively, "Yes!"

"Then go kill it."

"Okay!"

She held her iron sword and walked step by step towards the mountain goat. When she was about one zhang in front of the goat, it suddenly half-stood, its front legs bent, then lowered its head and charged at her.

She didn't panic but moved sideways, dodging the goat's attack. After landing, the goat immediately turned and repeated its attack, but she still dodged it. After several consecutive attempts, the goat still maintained the initiative, while Qin Youshen was slightly panting, and her limbs began to show signs of incoordination.

Qin An Yu said, "Adjust your breathing. Find the most energy-efficient and suitable breathing method for yourself." Combat awareness is developed through combat. With an Immortal Emperor like him present, it would be easier for her to improve.

"Yes, Young Master!"

After a standoff of about half a small cup of tea, Qin Youshen finally seized an opportunity. She thrust her sword, and the iron sword completely pierced the goat's neck. However, the goat's combat experience was also rich. In its dying attack, it sent her flying. She flew, but the iron sword in her hand didn't let go, and goat blood sprayed with her.

The mountain goat fell to the ground, and she also landed on the ground. The goat was dead, and she couldn't get up... She had used up all her strength.

Seeing this scene, all the flying birds and jumping fish rushed towards them. Qin An Yu waved his Clumsy Sword and roared, "Get lost!" scaring them all away.

He stepped forward and helped her up, discovering that her right shoulder blade, three ribs, and arm bone were fractured, and blood flowed from her mouth.

"Young Master, your servant was injured so badly by a goat. Am I very useless?"

"This goat could survive in such an environment. Its combat awareness is much stronger than yours. It's an old-timer in the early Qi Cultivation realm, and you've only been refining your bones for three days. Do you think you're useless?"

"Hehe, then your servant is still amazing."

"I am proud of you. Go back and heal your injuries, summarize your experience, and eat goat meat!"