Chapter 5: The Feather Book
As the black symbol in his palm shifted, a thick, ink-black book materialized in Zhang Yu’s hand.
“The Feather Book?”
Seeing the two large characters on the cover, Zhang Yu was momentarily stunned.
Then, with a flicker of his will, the black book in his hand opened to the first page of its own accord, its pages turning without a breeze.
“Is this a table of contents?”
He saw that apart from the first line, which read “Prologue,” all the subsequent lines were a blurry, illegible script, as if they had been censored.
Does this mean only the prologue is available right now? Zhang Yu wondered.
With a thought, he turned to the prologue. A portrait of a person appeared on the left page, while lines of data and information filled the right.
“Is this a portrait of me?”
The figure on the left page was indeed Zhang Yu, sitting cross-legged with his eyes lightly closed, as if in meditation.
The depiction was so lifelike that it felt as though the person in the portrait was still breathing.
A faint radiance seemed to circulate within it, which Zhang Yu guessed must represent the flow of magic power in his body.
The page on the right, meanwhile, displayed lines of information and data:
[Zhang Yu]
[Dao Heart: Level 1]
[Magic power: 7.7]
[Physique: Level 0.83]
[Martial Arts: Thirty-Six Body-Strengthening Forms (Level 1), Freehand Combat (Level 1)]
[Daoist Arts: Basic Breathing Technique (Level 1), Basic Heart Tempering Art (Level 1)]
“This is me?”
“The top section shows my stats for the Immortal Dao, and the Dao heart level here is just like the school’s test—it can’t be measured to a decimal place.”
“And below that are the martial and Daoist arts I’ve learned so far?”
Among the four skills listed below, aside from the Thirty-Six Body-Strengthening Forms used for body tempering, there was also Freehand Combat from his martial arts class for practical combat training, the Basic Breathing Technique from magic power class for refining magic power, and the Basic Heart Tempering Art for improving his Dao heart, all at the novice Level 1.
Looking at the numbers, Zhang Yu thought to himself, So this is the potential the evil god unlocked? This book can detect all my attributes?
But… surely there’s more to it than that?
According to that evil god, it unlocked my potential, but what kind of potential is simple detection? I can get tested at school every day.
There has to be some other function.
Thinking this, Zhang Yu decided to test it. He focused his attention on the attribute numbers and shouted in his mind, Feather Book! Add points for me!
Seeing the data on the page remain completely unchanged, Zhang Yu sighed. That evil god was utterly useless; it hadn’t unlocked his potential at all.
He tried turning to the next page, only to find the four large words ‘To be continued’ written there.
Recalling the unrevealed entries in the table of contents, Zhang Yu guessed, What does this mean? Can this ability be upgraded? Do the other functions only unlock after an upgrade?
He could only turn back to the previous page, continuously focusing his attention on the lines of data and skills, hoping to trigger some effect.
And just as he concentrated on ‘Thirty-Six Body-Strengthening Forms (Level 1)’, he suddenly felt the line of text twitch. It could actually be dragged, moving around the page at his mental command.
Zhang Yu dragged the ‘Thirty-Six Body-Strengthening Forms (Level 1)’ line back and forth across the page, wondering what use it could possibly have.
As it touched the portrait, the line of text suddenly froze and was absorbed directly by the image of Zhang Yu.
With that absorption, Zhang Yu felt as if a cool spring were washing down from the crown of his head. An indescribable feeling welled up within him, making him feel a strange connection to his portrait.
At the same time, the portrait, which had been sitting cross-legged, abruptly stood up and began to practice the Thirty-Six Body-Strengthening Forms, move by move.
A new line of small text had appeared above the portrait: Thirty-Six Body-Strengthening Forms (Level 1)+
Staring at the small ‘+’ at the end, Zhang Yu became instantly excited.
It’s here! It’s finally here! My potential has truly been unlocked!
He quickly focused his attention on the ‘+’, feeling as if he were pressing it with his mind.
The next moment, the ‘+’ blurred slightly before changing into ‘(0/10)’.
Then, a wave of insight washed over Zhang Yu: practice the Thirty-Six Body-Strengthening Forms ten times to complete the martial art upgrade.
Looking at the ‘Thirty-Six Body-Strengthening Forms Level 1 (0/10)’ on the Feather Book, Zhang Yu was astonished.
I can upgrade this martial art just by practicing it ten times?
Ever since the school year began, he had practiced these forms countless times without ever feeling like he was close to leveling up.
“Ten times?”
Zhang Yu eagerly began to try. He took a single step, and with a resounding bang, the muscles and sinews of his entire body coiled like a great python, unleashing waves of power.
Although Zhang Yu used equipment when he practiced the Thirty-Six Body-Strengthening Forms at school, that was only to enhance the training’s effectiveness.
In reality, as the most fundamental body tempering art, the Thirty-Six Body-Strengthening Forms could be practiced with or without equipment. Practitioners could even focus on different aspects like strength, speed, or dexterity according to their own preferences.
The original Zhang Yu, for example, had chosen a balanced approach to strength and speed, avoiding becoming overly bulky.
Now, Zhang Yu moved back and forth within his small room, his feet thudding against the floorboards as the flesh and blood throughout his body gradually warmed from constant expansion and contraction.
But before he could execute more than a few moves, a string of curses came from next door.
“Are you crazy?! Trying to tear the house down in the middle of the night?!”
Zhang Yu stopped immediately, thinking with resignation,
The soundproofing in this rental is terrible. I can’t practice martial arts at night.
Looking at the Feather Book that had appeared in his palm, he couldn’t suppress the urge to immediately begin a burst of intense training, to complete all ten repetitions in one go and see what would happen.
“Maybe I should find another place?”
“I remember there’s an abandoned, unfinished building nearby…”
In the pitch-black darkness.
The sound of thudding echoed continuously through the corridors of the abandoned building.
As the neon lights from a distant street flickered, the silhouette of a young man would occasionally materialize in the shadows.
It was none other than Zhang Yu, who had rushed to the abandoned building to practice the Thirty-Six Body-Strengthening Forms.
His gaze was solemn as he performed the training method, move by move. A short while later, he was already drenched in sweat, with steam rising from his body.
Zhang Yu had already trained for the entire morning and had collapsed from exhaustion. Without the aid of injections, boosters, or any dietary supplement, the moment he started practicing the Thirty-Six Body-Strengthening Forms, his entire body felt sore. Every movement, every exertion of force, brought a pain like his muscles were being torn apart.
However, the thought of the changes in the Feather Book lifted his spirits, and he persevered, finishing one full repetition of the forms.
Panting heavily, Zhang Yu eagerly opened his palm, and the Feather Book appeared once more at his command.
Looking at the ‘Thirty-Six Body-Strengthening Forms Level 1 (1/10)’ on the page, a hint of joy touched his face.
“Is this my potential?”
“Raising the Thirty-Six Body-Strengthening Forms to Level 2… it seems it’s really possible.”
“I’m going to finish all ten repetitions tonight!”
Zhang Yu impatiently began the second repetition of the Thirty-Six Body-Strengthening Forms.
But after only a moment, he was so exhausted that he collapsed to the ground, feeling as if his arms and legs no longer belonged to him.
“I can’t go on. I’ve reached my limit. Looks like I’ll have to try again tomorrow.”
Just as Zhang Yu decided to stop training, rest for a bit, and then head home for a good night’s sleep, a vicious chill surged through his heart.
At the same time, a voice echoed in his mind.
“Please abide by the ritual’s agreement. Strive to complete the wish. Do not deliberately slack off or delay. 10.”
“Please abide by the ritual’s agreement. Strive to complete the wish. Do not deliberately slack off or delay. 9.”
“Please abide by the ritual’s agreement. Strive to complete the wish. Do not deliberately slack off or delay. 8.”
As the voice’s countdown continued, the vicious chill in Zhang Yu’s heart grew more intense, as if something were about to erupt from within his body and tear his flesh and blood to shreds.
“Ritual… agreement… wish…” He immediately understood. “Could this be the power of that god-invoking ritual?”
The words the cloth doll had once spoken immediately surfaced in his mind.
“If you choose to refuse to fulfill my wish, or deliberately delay or even fail in the process of fulfilling it, then under the ritual’s backlash, your body will explode, and your soul will scatter to the winds.”
So… Zhang Yu thought, it’s because I plan to fulfill the second wish by studying hard, getting into a prestigious university, joining a major sect, and earning money.
Does slacking off during this process count as deliberately delaying the fulfillment of my wish?
If I don’t listen, will I really die from the ritual’s backlash?
Hearing that the countdown had already reached 3, Zhang Yu scrambled to his feet.
With a pained cry, he forced himself to endure the tearing agony in his muscles and began practicing the Thirty-Six Body-Strengthening Forms.
The moment he began to practice, the countdown vanished without a trace.