52. Qi Vein Master

He was both worried about the disaster that might erupt from the evil presence there and eager to test whether he could devour and convert that evil into attribute points. If successful, it would be a double gain.

“If you truly wish to confront the evil presence, Windcloud, first study the inherited techniques of our lineage—the Qi Vein Method,” Uncle Thirteen said, not stopping him. After thinking for a moment, he handed him an ancient scroll made of beast skin.

Chen Windcloud opened it and saw that it contained the Qi Observation and Vein Searching Technique, an ancestral inheritance of the Southern Sect. He was startled, “Elder Brother, this is the treasured legacy of your lineage. I’m not sure I should study it.”

“What’s suitable or not? What’s written here hasn’t been mastered by anyone for decades, even centuries. Even after becoming a Qi Refiner, I only grasped its basics. Our lineage once had a nobler calling than grave robbing, but now we’ve shamed our ancestors. If you can master it, you would truly honor them,” Uncle Thirteen replied, shaking his head. It was clear he felt deeply frustrated that no Southern Sect descendant could master the Qi Observation and Vein Searching Technique passed down from the founder.

Next, Uncle Thirteen not only encouraged Chen Windcloud to learn the technique, but also shared all his insights without reservation. Combined with Chen Windcloud’s powerful spiritual sense and exceptional deduction abilities, he quickly transformed the Qi Vein Method into a skill on his cultivation system panel.

“Now I’m relieved. With the Qi Vein Method as a skill, I can upgrade it with attribute points—it’s a way to honor Uncle Thirteen’s intentions,” Chen Windcloud thought to himself with a sigh of relief.

Moreover, in preparation for the possible evil lurking behind Gold Mountain Temple, Chen Windcloud deliberated and spent three attribute points to raise the Golden Bell Shield to Mortal Grade Level Ten. Now, he could activate a protective aura at any time, limited only by his spiritual energy.

Then, he used all remaining attribute points to upgrade the Qi Vein Method, elevating it to Mortal Grade Level Ten within days—a height no one in the Southern Sect had reached in centuries.

The reason Chen Windcloud did not first improve his cultivation or other skills was because, during the process, he discovered the Qi Vein Method’s immense utility: searching for blessed lands, treasure veins, feng shui sites, and special energies.

Wherever any special energy existed, it would emit a unique aura and create unusual phenomena. These were often invisible to ordinary people and even powerful cultivators, but only those who had mastered the Qi Observation and Vein Searching Technique to a high degree could see them.

For instance, at that moment, Chen Windcloud noticed a vast cloud of qi hovering above West Lake, indicating something ancient and mysterious hidden deep beneath its surface.

Meanwhile, when he observed the mountain behind Gold Mountain Temple, he detected a sinister aura lingering in the sky, though it was far weaker than the phenomenon above West Lake.

Furthermore, Chen Windcloud could discern the feng shui patterns of each place, distinguish between residences for the living and the dead, and even judge whether a tomb lay underground by reading the terrain.

His abilities differed from those used by the Southern Sect’s grave robbers. Compared to Chen Windcloud, the tricks of the Gold Touch Commanders were paltry, and the so-called masters of astrology and feng shui were not even fit to be his apprentices.

Ordinary feng shui experts and Gold Touch Commanders relied mainly on the compass to locate veins and determine sites, guessing the underground situation, much like Hu Bayi from certain films.

The compass, composed of a magnetic needle and concentric rings, each layer embodied ancient understanding of the universe. Accompanied by the Dragon Searching formula, “Find the dragon, divide the gold, observe the winding hills; each layer of winding is a layer of gate; if the gate has eight layers of danger, it won’t form the yin-yang bagua,” it was essential for determining sites.

Yet, once Chen Windcloud mastered the Qi Vein Method and raised it to Mortal Grade Level Ten, it was as if the world unveiled itself. Mountains, rivers, lakes, and every terrain showed him distinct colors, which he could interpret to reveal countless secrets.

Moreover, Chen Windcloud could use his spiritual sense to mobilize the earth’s qi within a certain area around him. This was neither spiritual energy nor any other special power, but the very veins of the earth.

Simply put, as long as Chen Windcloud stood on the ground, he could harness the qi of the earth’s veins to perform various abilities. The Qi Vein Master’s repertoire was not limited to observation and searching; he could also use the earth’s qi to set up all kinds of fields—for attack, defense, trapping, or illusion.

Currently, Chen Windcloud had only mastered two special abilities of the earth’s qi field: teleportation and trapping. He could use it for short-range instant movement or to transport others or objects nearby. Additionally, he could use the qi field to entrap and seal enemies.

“Windcloud, are you sure you want to face that evil thing behind the mountain? When I was at my peak, I was barely inside the valley before the evil aura began to corrode me. If I hadn’t retreated quickly, I might not have survived,” Uncle Thirteen said, knowing Chen Windcloud planned to confront the evil presence in the valley behind Gold Mountain Temple. He was deeply worried, having come to see Chen Windcloud as his younger brother, and was even considering handing over the entire Southern Sect to him, especially after Chen Windcloud mastered the Qi Vein Method.

“Elder Brother, don’t worry. I won’t act recklessly. I’ll observe the valley entrance first, and if anything seems off, I’ll retreat immediately. I won’t risk my life,” Chen Windcloud replied seriously.

“Then let me accompany you. I’ll wait outside the valley. If anything happens, just call out and I’ll come in to help,” Uncle Thirteen nodded.

The reason Chen Windcloud wanted to go was because he discovered the evil aura in the valley was also a special energy. Just like what he had absorbed from Uncle Thirteen’s body before, it could be converted into attribute points.

At the same time, Chen Windcloud was confident in himself. With his eighth-layer Qi Refining cultivation, he far surpassed Uncle Thirteen’s peak years. He possessed even stronger spiritual sense, Mortal Grade Level Ten Golden Bell Shield for protection, and mastery of the Qi Vein Method, allowing him to use the earth’s qi field.

With such formidable strength and numerous techniques, Chen Windcloud did not want to miss the chance to devour the evil presence, absorb its energy, and convert it into attribute points. If successful, his power would soar to new heights.