"Of course."
Hearing Kokomi's request, Beidou laughed heartily. "I'll tell you what I know."
She began to recount stories about Liyue, the harbor, and the mysterious shopkeeper selling magical jars.
While Beidou educated Kokomi...
Liyue. The Jar Shop.
Xingqiu finished selecting his ten jars with a satisfied expression.
He had scrutinized them carefully before making his choice.
Felix had nothing to say about this behavior.
Because there was absolutely no method to picking jars. It was pure RNG.
Watching Xingqiu pick them so seriously made the corner of Felix's mouth twitch.
"Alright, ten jars selected. Now, it's time to open them."
Looking at the jars, Xingqiu beamed.
With ten chances, surely he would get something good.
Crash.
He smashed the first jar decisively.
A book fell out.
"Yes! A great start!"
Xingqiu was thrilled.
He loved books more than anything.
He had been envious when Chongyun pulled manuals earlier. Now it was his turn.
Was it an ordinary book, or a special one?
"Uh, Six Pulse Divine Sword?"
Xingqiu picked it up and read the title, stunned. "A sword technique?"
Strange name.
But pulling a sword manual was very interesting.
[Six Pulse Divine Sword] — A mysterious martial art from another world. It channels internal energy to the fingertips, firing it out as invisible sword-qi at high speeds. The attacks are as fast as lightning, incredibly fierce, and kill without form.
Felix: "....."
His eyelid twitched.
Well, Xingqiu's dream of being a chivalrous hero just got a massive upgrade.
This technique was practically made for him.
While Felix read the system description, Xingqiu had already opened the book, devouring the text and diagrams.
Right Thumb — Hand Taiyin Lung Meridian — Shaoshang Sword. Characteristics: Powerful and majestic, like a storm breaking rocks.Right Index Finger — Hand Yangming Large Intestine Meridian — Shangyang Sword.Characteristics: Ingenious, flexible, and elusive.Right Middle Finger — Hand Jueyin Pericardium Meridian — Zhongchong Sword.Characteristics: Grand, open, and imposing.Right Ring Finger — Hand Shaoyang Sanjiao Meridian — Guanchong Sword.Characteristics: Winning through simplicity and clumsiness.Right Little Finger — Hand Shaoyin Heart Meridian — Shaochong Sword. Characteristics: Agile and rapid.Left Little Finger — Hand Taiyang Small Intestine Meridian — Shaoze Sword.Characteristics: Flickering, unpredictable, and subtle.
...
Line by line, Xingqiu was instantly mesmerized.
"I see... so elemental energy can be used like this?"
"The human body is composed of twelve principal meridians and eight extraordinary vessels... I've never heard this theory before."
"I knew it! Elemental manipulation isn't just external conversion. It can circulate internally to benefit the body!"
In just over ten seconds, Xingqiu looked up, awestruck.
This book opened a door to a new world.
It matched his imagination of "Wuxia" perfectly.
This was the legendary manual he had been seeking all his life!
"You finished reading it already???"
Beside him, Chongyun's eyes bulged.
It had only been ten seconds.
Impossible.
Chongyun couldn't read that fast.
"Mhm. Finished."
Xingqiu nodded. "The text is concise, so it was quick. But the knowledge contained within is rich."
He wasn't bragging. He had digested it all.
Holding the book in his left hand, he began channeling Hydro energy with his right, guiding it into his meridians exactly as the Six Pulse Divine Sword described.
"You... you're too fast."
Chongyun was dumbfounded.
Felix, watching from the side, wasn't surprised at all.
Xingqiu, the Second Young Master of the Feiyun Commerce Guild, was a prodigy who had read countless ancient texts. He had revived the declining Guhua Arts single-handedly by combining book knowledge with practice.
When he first joined the Guhua Clan, he was disappointed, but quickly mastered their "minor arts" (flash powder, paper fish, sword swallowing, etc.)—a hundred techniques in half a month.
His talent for learning was terrifying.
Whoosh!
In the next second, Xingqiu extended his index finger.
A beam of pure Hydro sword-qi shot out, whistling through the air. It flew out the shop door instantly and struck the ground outside.
BANG.
Outside the shop, right between the guards Wenqi and Doyle, the ground exploded.
A deep, finger-sized hole appeared in the stone pavement.
Dust billowed outward.
"What happened?!"
"I saw something flash by and hit the ground!"
"Me too! What was that? It punched a hole right through the stone!"
"It came from the Jar Shop! If that hit a person, it would punch a hole right through them!"
"Hss."
...
The crowd outside gasped in horror.
What was going on? Why was the shop firing invisible projectiles?
Wenqi and Doyle, the guards, sucked in cold breath.
What the hell was that?
If they had been standing a few inches to the left or right, they'd be dead.
First mysterious smells, now lethal projectiles? Their job was getting dangerous.
"I've learned it."
Inside the shop, Xingqiu opened his right hand with delight. Five tiny streams of water hovered over his fingertips, sharp as needles.
He already loved forming rain swords (Guhua: Raincutter), finding it dashing.
But the Six Pulse Divine Sword made him even more excited.
This was true martial arts.
Defeating bandits with a flick of a finger? It was the ultimate fantasy.
He wanted to test it on a monster immediately.
"So cool."
Chongyun watched, impressed by the fluidity of Xingqiu's new move.
Xingqiu's Hydro swords were always cool, but shooting them from fingertips? That perfectly matched Xingqiu's heroic aesthetic.
"Worth it! Totally worth it!"
Xingqiu stared at the manual excitedly.
This book taught him a new way to apply Hydro, creating a fast, convenient attack.
And this was just the first jar!
He had nine left!
If he pulled more manuals like this, he could reignite his passion for writing martial arts novels!
He looked at Felix with intense admiration.
The Shopkeeper is amazing. He stocks these things casually.
Felix: "...."
His eyelid twitched.
He knew Xingqiu was misunderstanding things again.
Crash!
Xingqiu smashed the second jar.
A blue orb of light appeared.
"Hm?"
Xingqiu's eyes lit up. "An experience orb!"
Chongyun had pulled a white one earlier, which Felix explained was experience.
That one gave 1,000 sword swings.
But this one was blue!
"Why is it blue?"
Chongyun wondered aloud. "Different color means different quantity, right? Maybe more than a thousand? Or less?"
That was the only logical explanation.
"Makes sense."
Xingqiu nodded and looked at Felix. "Shopkeeper, what kind of experience orb is this? More or less than Chongyun's?"
"That isn't an experience orb."
Felix looked at the orb with a strange expression.
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