The crisp, pleasant rustling of turning pages was a sound Li Feiyu detested.
No longer paying attention to Han Li, who was buried in his studies, he returned to the edge of the pond, pulled his long knife from the soil, and began practicing with it on his own.
Han Li shot him a sidelong glance. Seeing Li Feiyu so full of energy, he ignored him and turned his focus back to the object in his hands.
If there was anyone who could truly read ten lines at a glance, it was Han Li. His reading speed was astonishing. He quickly finished skimming through a thick book and, without even looking, casually grabbed another one, continuing to flip through the pages incessantly.
His eyes were narrowed to slits. As he read, a pensive expression would occasionally cross his face. His gaze remained locked on the pages, unwilling to leave even for a moment, his head swaying slightly with the movement of his eyes, much like a scholar engrossed in a book, nodding and shaking his head.
Time flew by, and one after another, the “Blinking Sword Art” manuals were rapidly perused by Han Li.
When he finished the eleventh manual, he suddenly stopped his astonishing reading spree and tossed the newly finished manual back into the bundle.
He closed his eyes to rest his mind.
After recovering a bit of his energy, he sat down cross-legged on the spot and began circulating his Eternal Spring Technique, replaying the contents of the dozen or so books he had just read in his mind.
Before long, Han Li’s face became a canvas of shifting expressions—now excited, now frowning in deep thought, now crestfallen.
After what felt like an eternity, Han Li finally opened his eyes, only to be startled by what was right in front of him.
Li Feiyu’s head was hovering just beneath his eyelids, so close that their noses were almost touching.
“What are you doing? Weren’t you practicing your blade techniques?”
“Junior Brother Han, what time do you think it is? Why ask such a silly question?” Li Feiyu pulled back, pursing his lips.
Only then did Han Li notice that the light around them had grown dim.
He looked up at the sky, now a hazy gray. Evening had fallen.
“Ahem! Time really flies. I didn’t notice how long it had been.” Han Li stood up and stretched his limbs.
“So, did you find anything interesting in those books?” Li Feiyu asked eagerly, his eyes fixed on Han Li, hoping for a definitive answer.
“Hmm, not bad. Quite suitable for me.”
“‘Not bad’? Give me something more concrete,” Li Feiyu said, dissatisfied.
“To be specific, these manuals are a hodgepodge. There’s no complete set—just bits and pieces cobbled together,” Han Li explained slowly.
“Then what’s this ‘Blinking Sword Art’? Does it really exist? Why such a strange name?” Li Feiyu pressed, still unsatisfied.
“The Blinking Sword Art does exist, but it’s only a small part of this hodgepodge, taking up just a tiny portion of these books,” Han Li said patiently.
“As for why it’s called that, there’s a reason.”
“What reason? Can’t you just say everything at once? Stop doling it out word by word like the old scholar in our town,” Li Feiyu glared at Han Li, annoyed by his sluggish pace.
Han Li had no choice but to speed up his explanation slightly: “According to the book, this sword art uses various lights and visual illusions to defeat enemies. It often takes lives in the blink of an eye, hence the name ‘Blinking Sword Art.'”
“There’s actually such a bizarre sword art? The world is full of strange people!” Li Feiyu grew very interested but was immediately deflated by Han Li’s next words.
“This sword art has three restrictions: those with even minor achievements in internal energy cannot practice it; those without great perseverance cannot practice it; those without talent cannot practice it.”
Upon hearing the first condition, Li Feiyu immediately gave up any thought of learning it. His internal energy had already reached a considerable level—he couldn’t possibly abandon his hard-earned skills for a technique whose power was still unknown.
With his interest in the manuals completely gone, Li Feiyu had no desire to stay any longer.
He got up to take his leave. Before departing, he reminded Han Li to copy the manuals as quickly as possible. At their next meeting, he would take the originals back. Although these manuals were overlooked by others, if such a large collection went missing for too long, it would eventually attract attention.
Not long after Li Feiyu left, Han Li also departed from the area.
The entire mountain range was draped in a thin layer of mist, making it appear somewhat gloomy. Narrow mountain paths were flanked by stretches of coniferous forests. When mountain winds swept through the woods, they rustled loudly, causing the branches on either side to sway like eerie, clawing hands.
Han Li hurried along this somewhat eerie mountain path, making his way toward Divine Hand Valley.
Having set out too late, the sky had turned completely dark by the time he was halfway there.
If not for the heightened visual acuity his Eternal Spring Technique granted him at night, Han Li would never have dared to travel in such dim conditions. The path was treacherous, full of sharp turns and precarious sections where a single misstep could lead to a fatal accident.
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