C19 Dance of a Thousand Raindrops

On the training ground, Wu Sheng pondered for quite some time before he finally spoke, "I say I believe him because Mo Fanchen's arguments are seamless and unassailable! And given the time we've spent with him, we can't be certain whether Mo Fanchen truly possesses the talent to create reality from nothing."

Wu Sheng's words came to an abrupt halt.

After a pause of two or three seconds, he resumed, "If you're asking whether I doubt him, it's because he was restrained by us earlier, and he could sense our intent to kill. The silence was too prolonged. We can't decipher what's going through the kid's mind, but it inevitably raises suspicions!"

"He claimed he didn't want to damage my reputation, but that was likely just a way to butter us up, something he blurted out without much thought."

"Let's face it, Mo Fanchen knows what's at stake when weighing one's reputation against one's life!"

"Hey? You're thinking along the same lines as me!" Wu Chang chimed in, squinting in agreement with Wu Sheng, "But if we're to entertain doubts, where exactly did Mo Fanchen acquire his movement technique?"

"That's not our concern at the moment. A movement technique that doesn't appear to be of a high level isn't worth our effort to trace its origins. As long as the kid keeps his head down for the next month and doesn't stir up trouble, we'll let him be," Wu Sheng declared with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"Going by your latter point, we really do need to keep an eye on Mo Fanchen! Could there be a catch to the Mad Bull Fist and Raging Bull Force he's going to give us?"

Wu Chang's unexpected remark put Wu Sheng on alert, but he quickly shook off the suspicion.

"The likelihood of that is slim! Mo Fanchen is giving us the original texts of the skills, not some handwritten copies or verbal instructions."

"Besides, our request for the two skills was spontaneous; he couldn't have anticipated it. And even if he wanted to tamper with them, he wouldn't have the time to do so now."

Wu Sheng's analysis significantly reassured Wu Chang.

Despite appearances, with Wu Chang being the more composed older brother and Wu Sheng prone to mood swings, when it came down to dealing with issues, it was Wu Sheng who provided the insightful analysis and conclusions.

Not long after, Mo Fanchen returned to his room, holding the original texts of Raging Bull Force and Mad Bull Fist in his grasp.

Wu Chang and Wu Sheng exchanged glances, their earlier suspicions largely allayed.

Unbeknownst to Mo Fanchen, the Wu brothers had been wary of his peculiar behavior. He handed over both skill manuals to them.

"Brother Mo, now that everything's been cleared up, why not join us in our room later for a few hands of cards?" Wu Sheng invited with newfound enthusiasm, having just stored the skill books.

"Yeah, we feel quite awkward about the misunderstanding earlier. Come hang out in our room; it'll be good to strengthen our camaraderie," Wu Chang chimed in.

"I think I'll pass, brothers! It's not that I can't handle losing to you two, but Brother Sheng's kick earlier was incredibly powerful. I'm still feeling the effects. I'll head to my room to heal a bit, and once the pain eases, I'll come over and join you," Mo Fanchen replied, declining the invitation.

After turning down the Wu brothers' offer to play cards, Mo Fanchen retreated to the solitude of his room.

As he sat on the bed, the pain in his chest flared up again, indicating that the effects of Wu Sheng's Breath-Sealing Kick hadn't fully subsided.

Mo Fanchen pulled out the so-called healing pill Wu Sheng had given him. Upon unscrewing the bottle cap, he was hit by a pungent herbal aroma.

"Wow, that's potent. It's almost as overwhelming as those dodgy plasters they sell on the street!" Mo Fanchen fanned his nose and muttered to himself before pouring a few pills into his palm.

The dark, dung beetle-like pills, round and emitting an increasingly intense herbal scent, did nothing to entice Mo Fanchen to try them.

"Good grief, what's with this pill? Could it be expired? Why does it look like this?"

"And is this supposed to be ingested or applied topically?"

"Despite both being pills, this dung ball can't hold a candle to Shen Tianyue's Jade Blood Heart Pill!"

"Ah, forget it! Suddenly, the pain doesn't seem so bad. I'll just wait it out a bit longer, to avoid upsetting my stomach."

After a lengthy hesitation, Mo Fanchen couldn't bring himself to swallow that repulsive pill.

"Thank goodness there are two more enticing skills to try out. Otherwise, the beating I took earlier would have been in vain."

Setting the medicine bottle aside, Mo Fanchen eagerly rubbed his hands together, then pulled out the two skills from his pocket and began to study them intently.

He started with the Dance of a Thousand Raindrops, sitting cross-legged and practicing the chant from the skill. Almost immediately, he felt a particularly gentle genuine energy begin to emerge in his elixir field.

This gentle genuine energy, like a soft rain nourishing the earth, spread throughout the meridians in his body, purifying Mo Fanchen's physique.

The genuine energy brought an extreme sense of comfort and coolness, even lessening the recurring pain in his chest.

As the genuine energy continued to flow, Mo Fanchen could distinctly sense the Raging Bull Force within him growing stronger, nourished by the Dance of a Thousand Raindrops. What had been nearly invisible threads of energy were now converging into substantial, thick strands.

After an indeterminate period of practice, a sudden wave of fatigue hit Mo Fanchen, signaling that his energy reserves were depleted.

"Heh, despite the Dance of a Thousand Raindrops having a somewhat feminine name, it's truly an excellent skill, even offering therapeutic benefits for pain!"

"While its effects may not be as mystical as the Innate Celestial Method Wu Sheng spoke of, it's certainly better than nothing! And it's a vast improvement over ingesting that dreadful pill!"

"Alas, it's just unfortunate that my aptitude for cultivation is so average. I haven't practiced long, and already I'm out of energy."

"Titan's Fall, huh? The name carries quite the impact, but I wonder if it can also deliver some pleasant surprises."

With no genuine energy left to execute the technique, Mo Fanchen's attention turned to the Titan's Fall palm. He simply practiced the moves as described in the skill, one palm strike after another.

The techniques of Titan's Fall were indeed much more sophisticated than those of the Mad Bull Fist, yet they were surprisingly straightforward. Mo Fanchen was convinced that even the most basic moves, when practiced relentlessly thousands or even tens of thousands of times, would become extraordinary.

Mo Fanchen practiced tirelessly, all the while visualizing an imaginary foe in his mind, strategizing the angles and moves he would use to counter the enemy's attacks.

Before long, he was physically spent, his arms so sore he could barely lift them. Just as he was about to sit back on the bed for a rest, the door flew open with a bang, courtesy of Wu Sheng!

Mo Fanchen instinctively sat up, a curse forming in his thoughts: Oh no! Had Wu Sheng discovered his scheme and come to reprimand him?

Thankfully, the anticipated rage from Wu Sheng didn't materialize. However, the look of disappointment on Wu Sheng's face suggested that things were far from ideal.

"Brother Mo, it seems fate isn't on your side! The logistics deacon from Scourgehold has come to inspect our work, and he's particularly unhappy with the cleanliness of our Innate Stage. He's specifically asked to see you."

"He hardly ever visits. Who knows what got into him today! Let's be honest, we're all warriors here. What's with all this bureaucracy and formalism? As long as the place looks clean, it should be enough. Why fuss over every speck of dust or a scrap of paper on the floor?"

Wu Sheng grumbled his grievances as he escorted a bewildered Mo Fanchen upstairs. Approaching the supervisor's office on the second floor, Wu Sheng whispered, "When you meet him, just keep quiet and take the scolding. I'll handle the rest. Got it?"

After Wu Sheng finished instructing him, he carefully tapped on the door.

"Come in!"

At the gruff invitation from within, Wu Sheng cautiously opened the door.

Inside the office, Wu Chang was already there, seated on a sofa against the wall, his demeanor tinged with dejection—apparently, he had been reprimanded not long before.

At the room's central desk sat a burly man with a commanding presence, reminiscent of the legendary Zhang Yide, leisurely sipping tea from an exquisitely crafted white porcelain cup.

The sight of Zhang Yide's attire was unexpected; his muscular frame stretched the white cultural shirt to its limits. But most surprising was the image on the shirt—a whimsical depiction of Peppa Pig joyfully jumping in a mud puddle.

"There's a fierce tiger in my heart, yet I can delicately smell the rose."

This stark contrast sparked such a thought in Mo Fanchen's mind!

Huh? Who would have thought that this logistics deacon had the heart of a young girl!

"Hey? New guy! What are you staring at?"

Zhang Yide, feeling Mo Fanchen's unabashed scrutiny, asked with a hint of annoyance. Simultaneously, an intense aura, like a tempest, bore down on Mo Fanchen!

That aura, almost tangible in its ferocity, sent Mo Fanchen tumbling out the door!

Could this man's strength be so formidable? To be pushed such a distance by his mere presence?

"Convergence of Five Energies, at its peak!"

Wu Sheng, who had witnessed the entire scene, exclaimed in astonishment.