C5 A Skill That Was too Weak

Su Muyan's eyes, weary yet tinged with regret, conveyed her sentiment. "These two skill books are our Su family's way of apologizing for all you've endured! I hope you won't reject them."

"Reject them? How could I possibly refuse? I couldn't be happier!"

Mo Fanchen's excitement was palpable as he turned his attention to the two books. However, upon reading the titles on their covers, his expression shifted awkwardly. The simple, unembellished names Mad Bull Fist and Raging Bull Force caught his eye.

"Sister, are you sure there hasn't been a mistake? Just by their names, these skills seem to be of the lowest tier. The reality is quite a departure from what I expected!"

Mo Fanchen's lips twitched with the thought, but he kept his words to himself, not wanting to offend Su Muyan. After all, this was a gesture of goodwill from her family.

Su Muyan, observant as ever, quickly picked up on the fleeting look of disappointment that crossed Mo Fanchen's face, yet she felt powerless to address it.

The Su family, a martial family among the few in Zouver, held a notable reputation and a storied past. They had seen days of glory, but those days were long past, dating back to the era of Su Muyan's grandfather.

In his youth, Su Qinghe had an elder brother named Su Qingshan. Both brothers were exceptionally gifted and had reached the Outer Aura within the Five Levels of Elemental Prana, establishing themselves as the mainstays of the Su family. They were honored by other warriors as the "Su Family's Twin Heroes," enjoying a period of considerable renown.

However, during an operation against the Divineshadow Sanctum in Zouver, the sect's master unleashed his power, resulting in the death and injury of numerous warriors. Su Qingshan was among the fallen, and Su Qinghe himself was gravely wounded. His foundation was compromised, and despite consuming numerous pills, his cultivation saw little advancement. It wasn't until his seventies that he barely managed to reach the Three Flowers Gathered Atop realm.

By the time of Su Zhenwei, Su Muyan's father, the Su family appeared to be in decline. Although Su Zhenwei, the family's eldest son, had attained the Outer Aura Stage, he had no sons, only a daughter—Su Muyan. Despite her aspirations, her average talent and somewhat haughty demeanor, coupled with the fact that she was a woman, made it challenging for her to assume the role of the Su family's head.

Su Zhenyuan and Su Zhenbiao of the Su family had both reached the Inner Strength stage, and each had a son. However, their sons preferred the life of wealthy playboys and showed no interest in cultivation.

After assisting Mo Fanchen in awakening his martial spirit, Su Qinghe, the Su family elder, immediately assessed Mo Fanchen's potential. If Mo Fanchen showed promise, he would be welcomed into the Inner Sect of the Su family, where he would be taught exclusive skills and groomed to become a pillar of the family.

To the Su family's disappointment, Mo Fanchen's potential proved to be quite ordinary, even falling short of the family's servants. Nonetheless, Su Qinghe had made a commitment to help Mo Fanchen as much as possible within the bounds of their principles. Su Muyan offered words of encouragement to Mo Fanchen with a smile, "Mo Fanchen, the quality of a skill is not what matters most. With dedication to your cultivation, you'll find superior skills to choose from once you reach the Divine Martial Academy."

"Divine Martial Academy?" Mo Fanchen echoed, pausing briefly before inquiring, "Is that an institution specifically for warrior cultivators?"

"Yes," Su Muyan confirmed, nodding. "But Divine Martial Academy is a collective term. I'll give you the specific name of the academy in our region when it's time to submit your preferences."

"Ah? So the Divine Martial Academy is listed in the college entrance exam choices?" Mo Fanchen exclaimed, nearly agape with surprise. "Aren't you worried about other students applying to this school?"

"There's no need for concern. Without a recommendation letter from a martial sect or family, it's virtually impossible for ordinary students to gain admission," Su Muyan clarified. She then yawned, signaling her fatigue, and reassured him, "For now, just relax and make yourself at home with us. By this afternoon, you should be able to go back to your own place."

With that, Su Muyan gave Mo Fanchen a wave and exited the room.

After Su Muyan left the room, Mo Fanchen glanced at the two books resting beside his pillow, feeling a sense of loss wash over him. He hadn't anticipated that his eagerly awaited journey as a warrior would start off in such a manner.

"Something is better than nothing," he muttered to himself, trying to find some solace. With a sigh, he opened the books and began to read, though it was a struggle.

The Mad Bull Fist was frustratingly simplistic, to the point of being offensive. The techniques within were far from impressive, lacking any sort of flair or finesse.

As the name implies, the essence of Mad Bull Fist is to emulate the madness of a bull, abandoning defense to launch an all-out offensive, aiming to overpower an opponent by accepting significant self-harm in the process.

"Damn it! Is this really considered a skill? The person who concocted this must have been out of their mind! Even the King Punch, something any layperson knows, is far more sophisticated than this nonsense!"

Mo Fanchen couldn't help but grumble in exasperation. He flipped through the Mad Bull Fist repeatedly, searching for anything that might stand out, but his efforts were in vain.

"Well, I might as well consider it a love token from Su Muyan," he decided, trying to put a positive spin on his disappointment.

"I just hope Raging Bull Force has something more to offer."

"Raging Bull Force, inspired by my observations of the Dire Beast Raging Bull, consists of six meticulously crafted moves. Each one has been honed to perfection, designed to endow cultivators with the strength of a thousand kilograms!"

"Wow! Is Raging Bull Force really that powerful?" Mo Fanchen was initially impressed, but his excitement quickly deflated when he noticed the author's name.

Indeed, both Raging Bull Force and Mad Bull Fist were penned by the same author — Niu Daben!

How could someone who created such a rudimentary skill possibly have any depth in their understanding of inner force?

Mo Fanchen had always believed that the study of skills and martial arts secrets was a prestigious pursuit. However, seeing the author's name emblazoned on the manuals made the whole affair seem decidedly tacky.

"From what I can tell, this guy is not only a bit dim-witted and full of himself, but he's also a master at spinning tales! He's completely missing his calling by not getting into sales!"

Mo Fanchen couldn't help but scorn Niu Daben, while also feeling concerned about his own journey in martial arts.

The fact that the Su family had so nonchalantly handed him two such basic skills clearly demonstrated their lack of regard for him.

"Ah well, forget it! My phone's screen is shattered anyway, so I might as well use this to pass the time! Sometimes, watching someone else boast can be quite entertaining." Mo Fanchen reassured himself and carried on reading.

But the material was incredibly dense and difficult to grasp, with techniques on breathing, circulating genuine energy, and channeling strength. For a beginner like Mo Fanchen, just starting out in martial arts, it was all very overwhelming and he didn't know where to begin.

As Mo Fanchen wallowed in frustration, there was a knock at the door.

"Mr. Mo, may I come in?" asked a deep, elderly voice from outside.

"Absolutely, please do!" Mo Fanchen recognized the voice as Su Qinghe's from the Su family and eagerly responded.

Su Qinghe entered the room and, upon seeing Mo Fanchen studying the skill books, a fleeting look of regret crossed his face, but he quickly composed himself and smiled, "I heard from Muyan that you had awakened, so I thought I'd come and see how you're doing."

Su Qinghe repeatedly addressed him as 'Mr. Mo', which made Mo Fanchen quite uncomfortable, but he knew he had to maintain proper etiquette as a younger person.

Following Su Qinghe's formal manner, Mo Fanchen replied with politeness, "Elder Su, you're too kind. As the younger one, I should be the one visiting you. Unfortunately, I'm not well enough to rise and greet you properly, please accept my apologies."

Su Qinghe's eyes brightened at Mo Fanchen's response, and he thought to himself with admiration, "Young people these days are often so restless and impatient. It's rare to find someone as composed and respectful as Mo Fanchen. If he has the aptitude, he's sure to achieve great things in his cultivation. What a shame that would be!"