Lu Chengfeng closed his eyes, continuing to examine the fragmented information from Zhao Changzhen's memory fragments. Although most of it was useless, he still noticed some traces within them.
"The 'Six Yang Seizing Yin' cultivation technique is a secret method Zhao Changzhen brought out from his original sect. It allows Yin Yang Replenishment, enhancing one's inner power cultivation, saving countless Heavenly and Earthly Treasures and hard work."
"A large part of why Zhao Changzhen could become an Elder and establish a peak was due to the benefits brought by the Six Yang Seizing Yin secret method."
In those memory fragments, Lu Chengfeng discovered that other infiltrators besides Zhao Changzhen also had similar harvesting techniques.
"So, they opened a brothel in Liangzhou Prefecture outside Yuncang Mountain, gathering beautiful women from the entire Liangzhou region."
"They use those women in the brothel for their cultivation. Even if those women die, no one would know or care about their whereabouts."
Lu Chengfeng watched the tragic scenes in the memory fragments, feeling increasingly cold inside. Zhao Changzhen and the others were of ordinary aptitude, or they wouldn't have been sent as undercover agents.
However, they exploited this evil secret technique, directly harvesting those women to death, consuming dozens of lives every year to enhance their cultivation.
Zhao Changzhen becoming an Elder could be said to have blood on his hands, built upon countless lives.
"Truly abhorrent, deserving death!"
Lu Chengfeng held back the anger and killing intent in his heart, carefully browsing the memory fragments, unwilling to let go of any detail.
"So that's how it is. The five of them recently discovered the Black Shark Loose Man's treasure vault, but disputes arose among them. At the time, they each feared one another and attracting outside attention, so after briefly clashing, they scattered."
"It seems... Zhao Changzhen's death is likely related to the other four."
What puzzled Lu Chengfeng was that the memory fragments contained no information about the identities of those four.
"One of them, while conversing with Zhao Changzhen, mentioned Azure Dragon Peak. Could it be Elder Xiao from Azure Dragon Peak?"
Lu Chengfeng recalled Xue Dulong targeting Bixiao Peak specifically, and now as he thought of it, he felt something was amiss.
"It should be indisputable that one of the four must be an Elder of Azure Dragon Peak. But there are three Elders on Azure Dragon Peak, yet I don't know which one it is?"
"Or perhaps... they all have issues?"
He pondered silently, and before he knew it, it was dawn. When he saw a certain segment of memory, his heart suddenly tensed, and his pupils contracted sharply.
In that memory fragment, Zhao Changzhen had recited the 'Soul-Destroying Claw' technique completely before burning it to ashes.
"The night Zhao Changzhen died, a black-clad figure searched him several times and even snuck into his room... presumably trying to find the 'Soul-Destroying Claw'. But now it seems that person didn't succeed, which spells potential trouble."
"A martial art that can reach the Twenty-Seventh Great Perfection, enough to make countless individuals in the Martial World green with envy, especially when it's related to the Black Shark Loose Man's treasure."
"The Black Shark Loose Man's cultivation is said to be the unparalleled divine skill 'Black Fiend Soul-Stealing Qi', where a single breath releases a black energy capable of taking one's life instantly, even the most skilled cannot defend against it."
"The 'Soul-Devouring Claw' may be related to this unparalleled martial art, connected to the Black Shark Loose Man's divine skill, so that person will surely not give up easily."
"Yuncang Sword Sect has been handed down for thousands of years and has become a giant in the Liangzhou region, partly due to the closely tied divine skill within the sect, the Great Five Elements Extinction Divine Light Sword."
"If the Black Shark Loose Man's divine skill were to emerge, it would certainly cause a sensation throughout the Martial World, even those recognized sects could not resist the temptation of obtaining a divine skill."
Lu Chengfeng furrowed his brow, initially believing he had received Zhao Changzhen's boon, quickly improving his martial arts skills, allowing him to establish a foothold within the sect.
Unexpectedly, Zhao Changzhen's death was tied to countless secrets and dangers. Even if he fully absorbed and digested all of Zhao Changzhen's martial arts memories, any slight mistake could result in a shattered death.
After all, someone who could kill Zhao Changzhen in three moves is certainly an opponent he, Lu Chengfeng, could not contend with, even after receiving Zhao Changzhen's gifts.
Lu Chengfeng took a deep breath, "It seems I'll need to rely on the sect's strength, otherwise I fear unforeseen disasters."
"The Outer Peak Elders aren't closely tied to the sect, more akin to Honored Guest Elders. To earn the sect's attention, I must become an Inner Peak True Inheritance."
As he thought this, urgency welled in his heart.
With dawn approaching, Lu Chengfeng finally felt fatigued and sleepy, having been worn out for an entire day and night. Despite possessing inner strength, he couldn't escape weariness.
He lightly activated the Bihai Qingtian Inner Cultivation Heart Method, his breathing rising and falling like the ocean waves, containing a mysterious rhythm.
Lu Chengfeng suddenly felt as though he was soaking in a hot spring, his limbs and bones immensely comfortable.
Inner cultivation heart methods don't grant immense destructive power, but they harmonize the body's Essence, Qi, and Spirit, increasing strength, endurance, vitality, and even extend lifespan.
An expert in inner cultivation, if not trained in external skills, facing strong external skill techniques would be killed with a single sword blow.
However, if inner and external techniques are both refined, one can increase strength, gain more advantages in battle, endure longer fights, and significantly improve martial arts techniques.
Compared to external skill memories, advanced inner cultivation heart methods are even rarer.
Lu Chengfeng's cultivation of Bihai Qingtian Inner Cultivation Heart Method and Bixiao Sword Manual were acquired by Zhao Changzhen from the sect, known as upper-level martial arts capable of being cultivated to the Twenty-Fourth Layer.
Moreover, these two martial arts, one internal and one external, were originally a complete set of martial arts, adding to their mystique when combined.
Lu Chengfeng's external skill techniques progressed swiftly after receiving the gifts, having already broken through to the Eleventh Layer in just one day and night.
Yet the Bihai Qingtian Inner Cultivation Heart Method had only slightly advanced, reaching the Seventh Layer.
The cultivation of inner methods concerns the balance of the body's Essence, Qi, and Spirit, an extremely subtle and intricate process, not something that can be forcibly broken through by consuming Heavenly and Earthly Treasures.
This process requires the cooperation of many external factors, coupled with the subtleties of inner cultivation heart methods, gradually honing oneself to the realm of Primordial Impermeable.
After receiving the gifts, Lu Chengfeng gained more experience and insight in inner cultivation heart methods, progressing much faster than before, but he still needed time to gradually reach the limit.
Immersed in the cultivation of his inner methods, Lu Chengfeng unknowingly noticed it was already dawn.
At this moment, the woman beside him hazily opened her eyes. After gathering her wits, she suddenly realized she was holding Lu Chengfeng's arm, and her face flushed with redness.
Luo Suyi instinctively looked up to see if the man had awakened. As her gaze moved upwards, she met Lu Chengfeng's eyes, bright as stars.
Their gazes locked instantly.