23. Hidden Weapons

Lin Jiuge was so startled by the shout that she lost her focus. The finger she had intended to test the water with plunged straight into the cup without hesitation.

Boom! The cup shattered, and the surrounding sparks of electricity left Zhou Yan stunned.

Lin Jiuge had no time to overthink; she had only one thought: do not waste this! She began to absorb the stray electrical energy to practice the "Thunder Motion" technique. Seeing her start to cultivate, Zhou Yan, realizing his mistake, made the same choice: do not waste it! Deal with the consequences later!

Lost in their thoughts, the two practiced intently amidst the electric glow. Lin Jiuge’s only thought was that this method was truly feasible!

When Lin Jiuge opened her eyes, she used a purification spell to clear the impurities from her body and looked at her Senior Brother, who was still meditating with his eyes closed.

He is my Senior Brother, I must endure! Her clenched fists tightened and relaxed, tightened and relaxed, as she repeatedly tried to talk herself down.

When Zhou Yan finally opened his eyes, ready to share his gains with his Junior Sister, he saw the circle of wood shavings around her and watched as she shattered a tree trunk as thick as an adult’s fist with a single punch. He wisely kept his mouth shut.

No matter how thick-skinned he was, he could tell his Junior Sister was genuinely angry.

Considering the hardness of the tree trunk compared to his own body, he decided it was better for her to keep taking it out on the tree.

Zhou Yan pretended to be casual and took light steps backward, observing Lin Jiuge as he retreated. Once he reached the doorway, he flashed inside just as a loud "boom" echoed from behind him.

Zhou Yan gulped. Thank goodness he ran fast.

Delivering one final palm strike to topple the tree, Lin Jiuge exhaled a breath of stale air. The eighth resonance was a success; the first layer of "Thunder Motion" was nearing perfection.

Lin Jiuge had naturally noticed Zhou Yan’s movements but chose to ignore them. She rubbed her temples, wondering who was supposed to be the mature one here.

"Brother, what are you doing?" Zhou Yan was startled, then saw Lin Jiuzi looking at him with a cute expression.

"Oh, it’s little Fuzai. Brother isn't doing anything. But what are you doing here?" Zhou Yan picked her up; she was truly adorable.

"Fuzai is going to find Sister," the little girl said sweetly.

"Your sister will be back soon. Can you wear a hairpin now? It looks so good on you," Zhou Yan complimented her generously.

"Brother, you have such good taste." Although she hadn't heard the compliment from her sister, Fuzai was still very happy to hear it from him.

Lin Jiuge, pushing the door open and hearing their chat, felt speechless. Could her sister's tiny, hard-to-tie tufts of hair really support so many ornaments? Her scalp was already pulled red—who was she trying to impress with such vanity?

"Sister!" Fuzai was happy to see her.

"It's very pretty, but make sure you don't lose it while playing," Lin Jiuge said, trying to find an excuse to make her sister take off the hairpins.

"Junior Sister," Zhou Yan said sheepishly.

"Senior Brother," Lin Jiuge greeted him as usual, as if she hadn't seen his embarrassment.

"I won't lose it. Uncle said it recognizes Fuzai," the little girl said, clutching the pins on her head.

Very well, it seemed the Master Uncle’s unfulfilled passion for artifact crafting had finally found a use.

"Senior Brother, are you planning to go see the Master Uncle?" Lin Jiuge asked, naturally taking Fuzai from his arms.

"Yes, Master said I should learn properly from him." Zhou Yan clenched his fist. When he returned, his Master had also been shocked by how quickly his cultivation had progressed. The traces of his epiphany hadn't even faded, and his Master, finally convinced, had given him a pile of resources.

"By the way, Junior Sister, Master asked me to give this to you." Zhou Yan felt a twinge of jealousy at how his Master seemed ready to empty his private stash for her.

"From the Martial Uncle?" Lin Jiuge looked at the storage bag in front of her, hesitant. Why would he give her a gift when there was no special occasion?

"Just take it. It’s a thank-you gift from Master." Zhou Yan shoved the storage bag into Fuzai’s hands; it didn't matter which of the sisters took it.

Fuzai held the bag and looked at her sister.

"Take it. It’s rare for your Martial Uncle to be so generous. A-Yan, take Fuzai to see your Martial Uncle. Jiuge, come with me." Li Yun appeared suddenly. Given the magnitude of the favor, it wouldn't look good for his Junior Brother to be stingy.

"Yes." Lin Jiuge handed Fuzai back to Zhou Yan and accepted the storage bag.

The Grandmaster of Enlightenment (Wudao Yuanzun) indeed had something for Zhou Yan. It wasn't difficult to craft: nine golden needles with a dark, lustrous sheen glistened in the sunlight, accompanied by one blue-tinted needle.

"A-Yan, refine this set of needles. They will be a means of protecting your life when you travel." He pushed the hidden weapons toward Zhou Yan and took the squirming Fuzai from his arms, pinching her chubby cheeks.

"Fuzai, you can't play with these. Uncle will get you something fun another day," the Grandmaster said, skillfully coaxing the child.

"Don't lie to children," Fuzai muttered, looking very serious.

"I won't lie." The Grandmaster’s heart melted; the child was just too cute.

"Master Uncle, are these hidden weapons?" Needle-shaped ones?

"Correct. There are ten in this set. Nine were crafted with a numbing agent, and the single blue one contains poison. This is a wrist guard for carrying them," the Grandmaster explained in detail.

"Master Uncle, I already have the protective gear given by the Martial Grand-Uncle. This seems unnecessary." It didn't look very honorable, which didn't fit his image. Zhou Yan pointed to the grey ribbon he had repurposed as a decoration.

"You can't always rely on the Cloud Mist Ribbon to protect you. Besides, this was your Junior Sister's suggestion." The Grandmaster naturally didn't miss the modified ribbon. Honestly, it looked quite good.

"Junior Sister?" Zhou Yan was confused. Why would she suggest this?

"Your Junior Sister believes your talent for swordsmanship is quite limited, but your accuracy is precise. She felt you didn't need to struggle with the sword and should try something else, so she recommended hidden weapons." The Grandmaster not only sold Lin Jiuge out but did so quite ruthlessly.

"Junior Sister is very thoughtful," Zhou Yan gritted his teeth, his grip tightening involuntarily.

"Don't believe me? Try it." The Grandmaster gestured for him to test it out.

The Grandmaster conjured a bird that flew erratically. By instinct, Zhou Yan grabbed a needle and, channeling his energy, struck the bird directly.

The Grandmaster conjured eight more. Zhou Yan, as if self-taught, learned to hold four needles at once, even hitting two birds with a single shot!

Even Zhou Yan found it strange. Did he really have talent in this area?

As he continued to practice, he didn't stop until his internal energy was depleted and he had to sit in meditation to recover.

Fuzai, meanwhile, watched the display of blue mist, finding it very beautiful.

On the other side, Li Yun brought Lin Jiuge to the waterfall where she usually practiced.

"Jiuge, although you have your own techniques, you should also cultivate the internal mental methods of our sect. Our lineage is the direct line of the Sect Masters of the Daiyue Sect, passed down through generations. Unlike the others, our techniques are very conducive to longevity and wellness." Li Yun hesitated for a long time before using that term.

"Wellness?" Lin Jiuge was puzzled. Could cultivation techniques really be related to wellness?