Chapter 63
This game brought Cui Zui a great sense of novelty, not only because of the various bows in it, but also because of the martial arts techniques that could be found entirely by scavenging, such as the "Sunflower Manual," the "Dao Heart Demon Seed Technique," and the "Jade Maiden Heart Sutra"... all of which were martial arts techniques he had never heard of or seen before. Some of these martial arts techniques even transcended the scope of martial arts he could understand. The dazzling array of techniques made him feel that they might be able to shatter the void.
Cui Zui couldn't help but ask Xue Jin'an, "Master, are these cultivation techniques real? Can they really be practiced?"
Xue Jin'an: "I don't know."
Xue Jin'an genuinely didn't know, since he had dug these techniques out of martial arts novels.
However, it's no wonder that Cui Zui had such doubts. Xue Jin'an was meticulous in his research, leaving no detail overlooked. He would extract anything that appeared in the original text. This resulted in the description of the techniques in the introductions being so vivid that it seemed as if he had actually witnessed them.
Cui Zui was eager to try it out. "Master, could you give me a secret manual so I can practice it?"
Xue Jin'an did not refuse, but novels would describe how powerful a secret manual was and how its users performed, but rarely would they describe what its mental techniques and incantations were.
Xue Jin'an searched the database, and the first thing that popped up was the familiar phrase: "To practice this skill, one must first castrate oneself..."
Cui Zui: "..."
Xue Jin'an looked at his lower body and said thoughtfully, "My hands are steady, don't worry—"
"No, wait, Master!" Cui Zui immediately broke out in a cold sweat. He raised his hand and shouted, "I understand! I get it! I know! I shouldn't have tried to take shortcuts! Master, I've realized it! I've truly realized it! Amitabha!"
He spoke so animatedly that his hands and feet almost flew off to life, and finally he clasped his hands together, his face expressionless, as if he had transcended the mundane world.
Fu Lu and Shou Quan, the two eunuchs who had already castrated themselves, almost burst out laughing when they saw him like this.
Fu Lu deliberately added, "Hey, how can this be called taking a shortcut? Everyone wants to become stronger. Young Master Cui's request is reasonable and the master will surely understand. Moreover, after you castrate yourself, you can stay by the master's side just like us. Young Master Cui must be very happy, right?"
Shou Quan nodded in agreement, "Yes, Young Master Cui, don't worry, the master's hand is very steady. I guarantee you'll be at peace with just one strike. From now on, your martial arts journey will be free from worldly troubles. Young Master Cui, just one strike is enough, the benefits are immeasurable. Don't hesitate, come on!"
Two people grabbed Cui Zui from either side, but he kept turning his head away, saying, "No, no, I'm Master's only disciple. This is a responsibility I must bear. How can I just destroy it like this? This shortcut really can't be taken..."
Xue Jin'an felt a strange sense of familiarity looking at the scene. An intelligent image recognition system matched countless images of Tang Sanzang and the Spider Demon, Tang Sanzang and the Women's Kingdom, and Tang Sanzang and various female demons.
Yes, that really fits perfectly, even though this Cui Tang Seng could take down those two monsters with a single punch each.
Xue Jin'an looked away.
No one took Xue Jin'an's eight words seriously, assuming he was just saying them to provoke Cui Zui. After all, Xue Jin'an had even criticized the emperor, so they didn't find it strange.
At first, Cui Zui just thought of PUBG as an addictive game, but one day after leaving the palace, he still couldn't resist the urge to play, so he rode his horse to the mountain.
Why go to the mountains instead of going home? Naturally, it's because the mountains are more spacious, the targets are farther away, and he can shoot with all his might.
As soon as he picked up the bow and arrow, he realized something was wrong.
Archery practice was Cui Zui's daily routine. Even when he was too busy looking for shops to go to the palace, he never relaxed his practice for a single day. Therefore, his progress in archery was the reward for his hard work and perseverance. It was a qualitative change caused by quantitative change, not something that could be achieved overnight.
He had just practiced drawing the bow before entering the palace and knew his skill level clearly. However, after just one trip to the palace and holding the bow again, he could clearly feel that his hand was more steady and that drawing the string was easier.
Is it possible for someone to make such progress in such a short time? Cui Zui felt that his thoughts were unrealistic, but his body clearly told him that he had indeed made progress since entering the palace.
Cui Zui felt the east wind blowing through the mountains stop. He loosened his stiff fingers and tentatively shot an arrow. Without a target, he shot forward without hesitation. The arrow flew for a while before landing on the ground.
Cui Zui estimated that it was slightly beyond his original shooting distance, but it wasn't very noticeable.
He then tested the power and accuracy of his archery, and found subtle changes in both. Finally, he drew six arrows—a number he had never seen before—nocked them to the bowstring, aimed, and pulled it back fully.
Whoosh! Six arrows shot into six trees.
Only now did Cui Zui have to believe that he had really made such progress in just one day.
Cui Zui also understood that the greatest credit for all of this was that he had never slacked off in practicing archery, but that did not mean there was nothing unusual. On the contrary, since he became the Seventh Prince's apprentice, he had inevitably picked up the other's habit of calculating and deducing things when they came up with them. However, his ability in this area was far inferior to his master's, so he could not calculate everything.
However, archery was different; it was his passion. So the first thing he calculated, and also the thing he calculated the most, was his archery skills. Under Xue Jin'an's influence, he also learned to record daily data and draw curves and charts.
It will probably take him another ten days to half a month to reach his current level.
Cui Zui immediately rode home and found the crudely drawn chart he had made. He looked at it carefully and nervously. Sure enough, he found that the curve on the chart had become steeper since he started playing PUBG. However, the changes in the data were very small at the beginning, so he did not notice it.
But isn't PUBG just a sandbox game? Aren't those bows and arrows just figments of his imagination based on the game's settings?
If relying on imagination can help him improve his understanding of archery, it shouldn't affect his physical health!
Unless... unless those were never just fantasies!
Master!
In the instant Cui Zui understood, it was as if a hand had parted the fog before his eyes. Scenes of his time with his master flashed through his mind, and the inconsistencies he had previously overlooked suddenly became glaringly obvious. His master actually possessed such supernatural powers? Even if he truly did, could a seven-year-old child really…? Could it be…?
Cui Zui suddenly remembered that there was a martial arts technique in the game called "Eternal Youth and Longevity Technique," which claimed that practicing this technique would make one young again every thirty years.
Could it be that Master is him?!
Cui Zui's heart pounded like a drum, as if he had discovered a huge treasure. He didn't dare close his eyes even when he lay in bed at night.
Fortunately, Cui Zui was young and strong, and also a martial artist. He didn't have any dark circles under his eyes after staying up all night, and he didn't look tired at all.
He suppressed his emotions, got up early as usual to practice his skills, and went to his grandfather's study to get the exam papers he had prepared. Instead of taking a carriage, he went straight to the stable, led a horse to the palace gate, tied it to a tree at random, and then, under the strange expressions of the guards, checked his token. He then ran quickly towards Zhaoyang Palace, his steps strange, unconsciously using his lightness skill.
If it weren't for the fact that running around in the palace wasn't prohibited unless there was something important, and he didn't want to cause trouble for his grandfather and the seventh prince, he would have really lifted his robes and rushed off.
When they arrived at Zhaoyang Palace, they ran into Lingzhi, who was returning from the imperial kitchen with a food box. She asked in surprise, "You've come so early today, what happened?"
Cui Zui opened his mouth but couldn't make a sound. Only then did he realize that his breathing was a little rapid, and his face was still slightly hot after being out in the winter wind for so long. It was obvious that he had rushed here in a hurry.
Afraid that Lingzhi would misunderstand, Cui Zui could only wave his hand quickly. After catching his breath, he said, "No, no, I was just a little anxious and wanted to ask Master some things. Is Master awake yet?"
Lingzhi carefully observed his expression and saw that he did not seem to have encountered anything bad. There was even a hint of excitement in his eyes, as if he had encountered something unbelievable and was eager to verify it.
Lingzhi thought for a moment and understood what was going on. She smiled and led him inside, saying, "Your Highness has just finished practicing. Don't worry, you can ask me anything slowly. His Highness will tell you."
Cui Zui immediately realized that he was probably not the first person to know about this, so he calmed himself down and followed him inside.
In fact, the first person to notice the anomaly was Fuling. She was usually clueless about everything else, but she was quite perceptive when it came to martial arts. She noticed something was wrong the first time she played the game. However, she didn't think about the game at all and just thought that she might have made a mistake in her training and was about to go into a state of demonic possession.
So that night, Fuling squatted by her bedside and told her what was to come, which almost scared Lingzhi to death.
It was fortunate that Fuling came to find Lingzhi, and the latter realized what was happening and immediately brought Fuling to ask after Xue Jin'an woke up.
Then Fuling received a compliment from Xue Jin'an: "Your martial arts foundation is very good."
Both games can develop players' combat abilities to some extent, but Honor of Kings focuses more on strategy and teamwork, while PUBG is a true individual show, especially for excellent marksmen.
Of course, while the main weapon in this game is the bow, there are also other weapons of all kinds. The addition of martial arts techniques balances the game, and the weapons other than the bow are also very interesting. In particular, if there is a person in the team who uses hidden weapons, they can find medicine and use it in combination with hidden weapons such as meteor hammers. Even if they find an iron pot, they can't escape it. It is really accurate to ambush people.
Of course, most martial arts practitioners are actually lone wolves. Teammates are useless in today's martial arts environment that emphasizes individual ability and competition. Therefore, in the battle royale mode, solo matchmaking is the most common, while four-player matchmaking is often unsatisfactory.
In short, the tactical impact is subtle and pervasive, and it is limited to the commander's thinking. To put it simply: those who know how will learn without needing to, and those who don't know how will still not learn no matter how hard they try.
But combat is different. Any experience you learn will immediately be reflected in your body. Not to mention that there are auxiliary adjusters in the game. Once you set the parameters well, it will automatically calibrate your movements to the standard every time you make a move, and you will unconsciously develop it into an instinct.
However, since it's only a few days, any changes are very minor, and most people won't notice anything unusual. It's extremely rare for someone like Fuling to notice something amiss on the very first day.
Xue Jin'an's compliment was sincere.
The usually slow-witted Fuling was met with Xue Jin'an's directness, and her face turned red with embarrassment, her head practically steaming.
"Oh dear, this already dim-witted brain of hers is probably really going to break down." Lingzhi was also very happy that Fuling received Xue Jin'an's praise, and smiled as she ruffled her hair.
Fu Ling was shy yet bold, her cheeks flushed and her eyes sparkling as she raised her fist to Xue Jin'an and declared, "Your Highness, I will always be this amazing!"
She paused, then added, "The most amazing!"
Fuling knew she wasn't very bright, and if she hadn't known martial arts, she wouldn't have been able to stay by His Highness's side. So she wanted to become the most capable person by His Highness's side, the one who wouldn't be replaced.
This seemingly random addition left Fu Lu Shou looking puzzled. Ling Zhi, who was closest to her, softened her expression and hurriedly tried to explain for her, but unexpectedly, the Seventh Prince understood.
The Seventh Prince replied matter-of-factly, "Of course you'll be the most powerful."
In the graph that Xue Jin'an made for everyone, Fu Ling, who had put all her talent into martial arts, had the highest peak.
This is not because she has the best talent or the highest potential, but because she has a pure heart and is devoted to martial arts.
Xue Jin'an's absolutely certain statement startled Lingzhi, and then a thousand thoughts surged into her mind, so complicated that even she herself found it difficult to distinguish them for a moment, but it was all good.
Fu Ling nodded emphatically, feeling unprecedentedly encouraged, and worked even harder in her practice.
If Xue Jin'an were to write a code for emotional detection at this moment, he would definitely receive notifications such as "Affection +1 +1 +1 Loyalty +5 +5 +5..."
That said, after learning that he wasn't the first person to discover this, Cui Zui's excitement subsided somewhat, and he calmed down.
Having spent so many years in the Cui family, he knew perfectly well that to gain favor, one either had to win first place or find another way. Now that he had lost the chance to win first place, he could only choose the second path.
Cui Zui decided to test the most complete data on the effects of this game on the body!
So when Cui Zui saw Xue Jin'an, he didn't ask the original question, but instead asked, "Master, when are we playing with the sand table today?"
"I'm not playing anymore." Xue Jin'an ate without looking up.
Cui Zui: "!!!"
Upon hearing the devastating news, Cui Zui was struck dumb, and for a moment, he couldn't control his voice as he asked, "Why is this happening?!"
Xue Jin'an replied expressionlessly, "I've played with all the weapons inside."
Playing something means you've learned it. Although weapons are divided into many categories, experts can actually apply the same principles to all of them. Xue Jin'an doesn't learn what he's learned a second time, or you could say he's tired of it.
Cui Zui, who hadn't even fully explored the bow inside, was speechless.
He finally couldn't help but ask the question that had been lingering in his mind: "Master, are you still human? Or is it that I am the one who is not human?"
Cui Zui now really feels that he fits the word his master used to scold him: "chicken," meaning both bad and incompetent.
“I am not, you are,” Xue Jin’an answered truthfully.
But to Cui Zui, these words sounded sarcastic and unpleasant. He immediately felt a chill run down his spine, making his scalp tingle, and he immediately became obedient.
He still remembered Xue Jin'an saying twice that he wanted him to become a eunuch, and he also knew that his master's hands were really steady, so steady that it made people feel cold inside.
Cui Zui kept quiet, but his mind was still working overtime, thinking about how to find a new way to make a name for himself.
And this time he really did come up with an idea. Although it was still an inspiration borrowed from his master, the idea didn't have to be new, as long as it was useful!
“Master, let’s open a shop! A real-life PUBG game, with a realistic map and references to classic historical battles… We can approach military camps; I think they’ll definitely see the benefits and be happy to cooperate.” Combining the previous two shop opening plans, Cui Zui quickly provided a feasible basic plan.
"You've got a good idea. You still have money?" Xue Jin'an asked the fatal question.
If Cui Zui wanted to open three shops, that wouldn't be a problem; after all, there were quite a few professional managers in ancient times.
—The businesses under the names of aristocratic families were all managed by the matriarchs of the families. However, the oppression of women in ancient times prevented them from showing their faces in public at will. Therefore, the people under their command were the ones who actually managed the shops, while the matriarchs were mainly responsible for accounting and auditing.
These people were mostly bound by indenture contracts. In ancient times, breaking contracts and escaping slaves were very serious crimes. Entering a city required a travel permit; otherwise, they would be left to wander as vagrants. Unless absolutely necessary, these people would not think of betraying their masters.
Cui Zui was indeed able to find someone to open a shop, but the problem was that he really didn't have any money. If Cui Zhuo knew that he was going to open a third shop, especially one of such a large scale and scale, he definitely wouldn't give him the money easily, and might even tell his grandfather.
Grandfather could see the potential in this business and was likely to invest money. However, he wanted more than just a share of the profits. If Cui Zui could resolve the hidden troubles and openly conduct military business, Grandfather would definitely want to connect with him.
Cui Zui became increasingly dumbfounded as he thought about it. He felt a headache coming on, and his internal energy was surging and churning. He looked at Xue Jin'an with a pitiful expression: "Master, what should we do?"
He didn't feel ashamed at all that a grown man like himself was asking a child a question.
Seeing that his brain was practically steaming (his inner energy was surging), Xue Jin'an didn't make things difficult for his CPU, nor did he intend to take out his own savings. To be honest, if he sold the jewelry in his savings account, he could actually support the opening of the shop, but that would only be the beginning.
Moreover, since it was Xue Jin'an who suggested it last time, he would naturally pay for it. However, Cui Zui did not ask him for it. This time, it was Cui Zui who suggested it himself. Xue Jin'an always keeps things separate and does not have the awareness to make up for the debt from last time, so he naturally does not intend to pay.
Xue Jin'an first held out his hand to Cui Zui and said, "Give me the money."
Xue Jin'an wanted an idea fee; once the fee for the idea was settled, the business would belong to Cui Zui from now on.
Cui Zui subconsciously took off the money pouch at his waist and handed it over. Only when Xue Jin'an spoke did he suddenly realize what his master meant. His heart was in turmoil, as if it were boiling, bubbling and steaming, with more steam rising from the top of his head.
In Xue Jin'an's view, this meant that the CPU couldn't handle so much data and burned out.
Xue Jin'an stopped talking, silently looking at the top of his head, and after a long while said, "Your decision to abandon literature for martial arts was the right one."
"Hmm!" Cui Zui nodded subconsciously, not having heard what Xue Jin'an was saying at all. He smiled uncontrollably, his lips sinking into two deep dimples, and his cheeks were flushed, making him look exceptionally obedient and compliant.
Xue Jin'an: "..."
Oh no, it seems my apprentice's motherboard is really burned out.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
