"Zhang Hex and the others are right."
Pan Feng also couldn't help but commend, "Truly extraordinary, absolutely extraordinary. Even I didn't learn it this quickly. You should know that back then, it was as if I was possessed by a deity, unconsciously mastering the accompanying Breathing Technique and then somehow muddling through the Thirty-Six Celestial Spirit Axe Techniques!"
He fixed his bright eyes on Ding Ling and said:
"But you're different. You didn't have the accompanying Breathing Technique. I didn't even have time to guide you, yet you just looked at the illustrations and texts and within less than half a moment, comprehended and grasped the Thirty-Six Celestial Spirit Axe Techniques. This speed leaves me in awe and makes me feel inadequate."
He sighed:
"Genius, truly a genius. I, Pan Feng, have finally found the successor to the Thirty-Six Celestial Spirit Axe Techniques. Now I have no more regrets."
He looked at Zhang Hex and the other two, smiled and said:
"I keep my word; from now on, the three of you are my friends! Should anyone dare to bully you, just mention my name and say you're under the protection of me, Pan Feng!"
Zhang Hex and the other two were overjoyed and hurriedly bowed in thanks.
Pan Feng waved his hand, indicating not to be so formal in the future, as they were all brothers and friends.
After a brief polite exchange.
Pan Feng turned his attention back to Ding Ling; he circled him a few times and couldn't help but conduct a 'Bone Touching' on Ding Ling just like Zhang Hex did.
It was at this moment.
The notification sound suddenly chimed.
[You've obtained an E-level Achievement Medal: You've received heartfelt admiration and praise from Jizhou's Unrivaled Divine General, Pan Feng!]
[Note: 1: Your talent, comprehension, and learning ability have completely awed Pan Feng! He's begun to explore why you're so remarkable. He might even invite you to participate in blood extraction and other experiments!
Don't doubt, this is someone even more zealous about the Martial Dao than Zhang Hex!
His dedication to the Martial Dao is beyond imagination! You need to be careful, don't die. Because landing in Pan Feng's hands might be worse than falling into Zhang Hex's!]
[Note: 2: Achievement Medals are graded. Congratulations, you've obtained a graded medal. This will bring you numerous benefits.]
Ding Ling's eyes slightly contracted.
He hadn't expected Achievement Medals to have grades!
And judging by the notes, this Achievement Medal indeed has significant benefits, just unsure how to use it.
It seems everything will have to wait until he returns to Player Plaza to explore.
As for Pan Feng?
Ding Ling glanced at him, noticing his eyes glinting 'green light' as he kept exploring him, causing Ding Ling to get goosebumps, making him involuntarily take a few steps back.
It seemed Pan Feng hadn't figured it out yet; although his eyes showed varied emotions, his face grew increasingly puzzled. When he saw Ding Ling step back, he couldn't help but step forward to further investigate.
Ding Ling retreated again.
Pan Feng advanced once more.
This continued several times.
Zhang Hex couldn't help but cough a few times as a reminder.
Pan Feng snapped back to reality, awkwardly rubbing his hands and said with a forced smile:
"This is the first time I've seen a prodigy like you, Ding Ling. I'm very curious about how your bone structure is, so I might have been a bit intrusive earlier, I hope you don't mind."
What bad could Ding Ling say?
He could only indicate it was fine.
Pan Feng felt relieved, then said with a puzzled look:
"Ding Ling, I just checked your bone structure, and it doesn't seem unusual. How did you master the Thirty-Six Celestial Spirit Axe Techniques in such a short time?"
Swish, swish!
Zhang Hex, Gao Lan, and Cheng Huan all turned to look at Ding Ling.
Especially Zhang Hex, his eyes filled with investigatory desire to the extreme at this moment.
He was dying to know the answer! Otherwise, he wouldn't have done the same reckless thing as Pan Feng earlier.
"I don't know either."
Ding Ling activated his full-level acting, appearing very bewildered and innocent:
"I seem to have been born this way."
As for the 'library' cheats, Ding Ling planned to keep it to himself forever.
"Is that so?"
Pan Feng looked very disappointed, "That's truly a pity."
It must be said.
Although Ding Ling's full-level acting didn't aid his strength improvement at all, it proved exceptionally effective when deployed at crucial moments.
Just like now, he had effortlessly deceived and placated Zhang Hex, Pan Feng, and the others.
It's not that they lacked intelligence.
Rather, Ding Ling's acting was just too convincing! Absolutely flawless, utterly natural!
This is the power of full-level acting!
If Ding Ling were to become an actor now, nine times out of ten, he would outshine ninety-nine percent of the stars, kings, and queens.
A bona fide talent!
"It seems it might not be related to bone structure."
Zhang Hex speculated:
"Perhaps it has to do with perception, meridians, internal organs, and so forth, which are beyond our current level of understanding."
"Perhaps so."
The group pondered for a while, but couldn't figure it out.
Each looked at Ding Ling with increasingly peculiar expressions, as if gazing at a rare treasure.
Pan Feng was even more straightforward:
"Being able to execute the Thirty-Six Celestial Spirit Axe Techniques without the accompanying Breathing Technique is like inflicting a thousand wounds while enduring eight hundred of your own. How did you manage to perform the whole set of techniques without injury?"
"Once understood, it's natural."
Ding Ling said it very naturally.
But these words felt like an arrow piercing Pan Feng's heart, nearly shattering his pride and confidence.
His expression turned a bit unnatural.
Meanwhile, Zhang Hex and the others' expressions became extremely vivid.
Each one seemed as if they were hit with a heavy blow.
But soon, they reasoned it out, Zhang Hex and Gao Lan even thought to themselves:
"Individuals like Ding Ling are world-rare, maybe even unique to this era! Truly the chosen one! Such a prodigy is rarely seen in a millennium; while I might also be a genius, there are others who can match my talent.
For instance, Zhang Hex (Gao Lan) is on par with me, not to mention General Pan Feng, Jiuyuan Lü Bu, and the like!
Therefore, there is no need to compare myself to an anomaly like Ding Ling.
Otherwise, I would be left with no self-confidence. In the future, no matter what outrageous event happens to him,
just take it lightly."
Thinking this way.
Gao Lan and Zhang Hex finally let go and stopped dwelling on how Ding Ling managed to learn the Thirty-Six Celestial Spirit Axe Techniques in such a short time.
...
Some time later.
Pan Feng brought Ding Ling, Zhang Hex, Gao Lan, and Cheng Huan to meet Governor of Jizhou Hann Fu.
Hann Fu usually resided in the exclusive mansion of the Governor of Jizhou.
The opulence of the mansion was the first time Ding Ling had witnessed how affluent individuals of ancient times lived!
To say the least, it was extravagance at its peak.
Many of the decorations and installations in the outer courtyard were things Ding Ling was seeing for the first time.
He was an ordinary person in his past life.
And remains so in this life.
Though he now had the library cheats, he had only obtained it a few days ago?