Qin Fu watched as Wu Liuqi and Ji Dabao were sent away, the door slamming shut behind them. Even though he knew Paradise contractors often wandered in a "beautiful state of mind," it was far too abstract to waste his mental energy on first-order thinking.
Better to use this time to improve his strength.
"Huh."
A few deep breaths later, Qin Fu turned back to the blood-red vortex. With a decisive shake of his head, he let Gu Gu play with the scarlet card. For him, it was torture enough—there was no need to insist on drawing more.
After showing Gu Gu how to extract the items safely, Qin Fu turned his attention to the secret book Rotten Minghua had given him. Turtle Wave Qigong… reading the introduction sparked an idea. Could his professional skill, [Spell Analysis], decipher this? The book described the technique as a wave-releasing skill—perhaps it qualified.
[Turtle Wave Qigong]
Origin: Assassin Wu Liuqi
Quality: Blue
Category: Skill Scroll
Effect: After use, master a technique related to the use of energy
Requirements: Strength 10, Stamina 10, Intelligence 10
Introduction: See the name, yes! Exactly what you think.
Rating: 70 (Blue items range from 30–70; rating represents the value)
Price: 15,600 Paradise Coins (can be taken out of the Assassin Wu Liuqi world)
"Forget it. Don't overthink it—just try it."
Raising his right hand, Qin Fu conjured a silver-gray black hole once more, carefully placing the secret book into its center. In the next instant, the cheat book vanished completely, devoured by the void.
The infrastructure of Turtle Wave Qigong instantly appeared before him. A magical perspective unfolded, and he felt as if he were seeing the essence of the technique itself. Inspiration surged through his mind.
A full quarter-hour later, Qin Fu slowly awoke, hands on his waist as mana began to converge into them. A silver-gray sphere of light formed. Observing it, he gently dispersed it.
"A very exquisite technique. A small light cluster… yet it can mobilize the energy of the entire body."
"The potential ceiling is extremely high. I need to find a way to specialize in energy manipulation."
After mastering Turtle Wave Qigong, Qin Fu's control over the power of the void had increased dramatically. Consumption had dropped significantly.
"And if I add runes…"
He retrieved the [Secret Scepter]. Mana runes floated into the air, guiding the void's power with precision.
"The power is doubled, and consumption is cut by half."
His eyes lit up at the thought of using remaining overclocking opportunities.
A sudden cooing pulled him from his thoughts. Gu Gu stood nearby, holding a book in his mouth and looking at him expectantly.
Qin Fu raised an eyebrow, stepped forward, and took the book. Two pages in, he froze, utterly captivated.
Gu Gu tilted his head and nudged him. A small, wry smile appeared on Qin Fu's lips. Comforting the bird, he casually turned the book to powder.
Getting dressed, he stepped outside.
"Gugu, stay awake. Guide insects! Find the body for me!"
Today, he was determined—[Affectionate Heaven], the infamous banned book from the Naruto world, would be dealt with.
Following the guide insects, Qin Fu moved through the streets. At a lamppost, he paused, frowning. The insect guide on his waist glowed, all the guide insects instantly returning.
With his [Secret Scepter] in hand, Dao Dao mana runes appeared, guiding the void's power to form a barrier around him.
Clang! Clang!
Two sabers collided in mid-air, repelled by Qin Fu's barrier.
A figure with long hair unkempt and half their face armored stepped out slowly. Two sabers hovered by their sides.
"As expected of someone who can go toe to toe with Mei Daxia," Qin Fu said lightly.
"Qingfeng?" the stranger asked. "I was told shadow assassins cannot fight inwardly."
Qingfeng narrowed his eyes and stared at Qin Fu. "Then I will apologize in advance. My hands are itchy. If Your Excellency of the Void is displeased, feel free to act."
Qin Fu smiled at the challenge and the murderous haze around him dissipated a little. "No rush. I only came to speak."
Qingfeng did not know what potion Qin Fu had hidden in his gourd. He opened his mouth to reply, but suddenly his senses screamed and his perception called alarm. He dodged instinctively.
Qin Fu was gone in an instant, leaving only three words in the air.
"Qingyun Kingdom."
Those words scrambled Qingfeng's thoughts. He took off in pursuit of Qin Fu's vanished trail.
Qin Fu, meanwhile, flew up the mountain grinning. No one ambushed him and got away with it without being taught a lesson.
When Qingfeng finally caught up, Qin Fu lounged on a white food stall chair as if waiting for tea. The sight stirred an odd sense of deja vu in Qingfeng.
"Who the hell are you?" he barked.
Qin Fu folded the chair and rose slowly. "Some things are not meant to be said here."
He traced an arc in the air with his hand while he spoke, comparing an invisible sigil to his palm. Qingfeng's frown deepened, but duty forced him to press on. Internal force surged and a blood-red barrier bloomed, enclosing the two of them.
"Can you speak now?" Qin Fu asked. He toyed with the void and stripped the barrier back a fraction.
Rage broke over Qingfeng. His twin swords launched like lightning.
Qin Fu put curiosity aside and called up a ring of mana runes. They formed a circle that bent the void into a lock, pinning Qingfeng in place.
"Calm down," Qin Fu said. "You saw what happened. You cannot beat me now. Once, perhaps you might have stood a chance. Now it is almost pointless."
Qingfeng struggled, unwilling to yield, but the ring held like the hardest substance in the world. At last he slackened and spoke in a low, hard voice.
"Why? Why are you helping me?"
Qin Fu's smile vanished. He looked at Qingfeng with flat, indifferent eyes. "I do not care about your grudges. I do not care what you think. I only need one life to grow stronger. I want the assassin leader dead. You want your revenge. Our goals align, nothing more."
"Do not block me. Understand?"
Qingfeng stared at the cold, unreadable expression and felt a nameless dread swell in his chest. After a long silence he stopped resisting.
"I agree to cooperate, but you must slaughter Chiya. Otherwise I will never..." His voice trailed away.
"No problem." Qin Fu answered without hesitation.
For the first time Qingfeng met someone who did not fit his expectations. Before he could finish processing that thought, Qin Fu was gone, fading into the distance with a final sentence left behind.
"If you stick to your old plan, I will slaughter Chiya. Not only him. I will slaughter the rest of the shadow assassins too."