Chapter 64 - 64 61 Self-Restraint Law

Words : 1657 Updated : Sep 17th, 2025

64: Chapter 61 Self-Restraint Law 64: Chapter 61 Self-Restraint Law Yuan Buyu, as a veteran from the martial arts world, quickly discerned the origin and Incense Fire Level of the corpse with just a few pinches. The more he understood, the more shocked he became, and he couldn’t help but whisper to himself, “This makes no sense! Since when have we, storytellers, been this impressive before three incense?” … The door to Zhou Lingyi’s boudoir was pushed open by Xu Li. “Class Leader, Xiao Xuan has fainted… And he brought back a corpse, soaked in blood.” Zhou Lingyi, who had been investigating the recent activities of her five senior martial brothers, immediately closed her notebook upon hearing that something had happened to Zhou Xuan and left the room. By the time she arrived at the courtyard, Yuan Buyu was muttering to himself, staring blankly at the corpse, while Zhou Xuan had been carried in front of the Ancestor Tree by Yu Zhengyuan. Two disciples had brought over four long stools to improvise a bed for Zhou Xuan to rest on. Zhou Lingyi was extremely angry inside, but her temper was skillfully controlled, with not a single sign of anger showing on her expression or tone. When she reached Zhou Xuan, Yu Zhengyuan recounted what had happened to her, and in the end, added, “I’ve sent a disciple to fetch the doctor already…” “No need for that, he’s just drained.” Zhou Lingyi shook the Cow Bell. Ding! Ding! Ding! After three consecutive rings, Zhou Xuan abruptly sat up, rubbing his head and glancing around. Once he recognized he was back with the Zhou Family’s Troupe, he relaxed and closed his eyes to rest. “Sis, what happened?” Zhou Lingyi asked with concern. “Oh, a kidnapper was tailing me, I got angry and stabbed him a few times.” Zhou Lingyi’s eyebrows slightly furrowed; this didn’t look like a mere stabbing—the kidnapper’s throat had been pierced straight through. “Bro, no one saw you, right?” “There was nobody on the small path, I observed carefully,” Zhou Xuan said, his voice now much stronger as his strength had partially recovered. “Good, then there’s no need to trouble ourselves with cleaning up.” Zhou Lingyi wasn’t afraid of getting involved in legal troubles. The kidnapper’s notorious reputation meant that even if it was intentional, they could stoutly claim that Zhou Xuan had been attacked by the kidnapper and had killed the assailant in self-defense. The authorities were unlikely to be suspicious. She instructed Yu Zhengyuan, “Elder disciple, the kidnapper has committed many evils and has taken numerous lives with his hands. Killing him is delivering divine justice. Send two disciples to bury him by the front mountain, and let the rest disperse.” “Alas.” Yu Zhengyuan immediately made a hand gesture, signaling three robust disciples to carry the corpse out the main gate and up the mountain to bury it. The other disciples also scattered, leaving only Zhou Lingyi, Yuan Buyu, and Zhou Xuan under the Ancestor Tree. Yuan Buyu had initially planned to return to his room to brew a restorative medicine to help Zhou Xuan recover but after walking a few steps, he came back, sat down on the long stool with a sense of apology, and said, “Xuan, your master should be caring for you, letting you rest properly, but I have a doubt in my heart that’s tormenting me if I don’t ask.” “Go ahead, after that session of Cow Bell ringing from my sister, I’ve got plenty of energy.” Zhou Xuan was still closing his eyes, but his voice was much louder. “I just examined that kidnapper, he was at the two incense level, logically speaking, we storytellers of the one incense level have no chance of winning in a straightforward fight…” “Can’t be true, right? Lao Yuan, are we storytellers really that weak?” Zhou Xuan immediately opened his eyes, waiting for Yuan Buyu’s continuation. “Elder Yuan, what does that mean?” Zhou Lingyi was also puzzled and asked. Yuan Buyu gave an embarrassed smile and said, “I’ll be frank then, among the many Tangkou in the martial arts world – if not a hundred, then certainly quite a few – within the one and two incense levels, the combat techniques of us storytellers are among the… er… below average.” He originally wanted to say “the weakest category,” but feeling that it sounded unpleasant, he changed his expression. “Elder Yuan is being modest, isn’t he?” Zhou Lingyi said. “The storyteller is the most revered among divine people between heaven and earth, and disciples of the nine ancient Tangkou are most fearful of facing a storyteller. How is that weak, as you claim?” “That’s all about reputation after three incense…” Yuan Buyu’s face was becoming flushed as he said, “Starting from the third incense, the dreams of the storyteller are as swift and illusory as lightning. Not to mention ghostly divine people of the same level, even those one or even half a level higher can hardly find a flaw within the dreams. Not being able to find a flaw means being trapped by the storyteller, who has plenty of methods to control them… But at the level of one incense, the storyteller’s dreams are very easily shattered. By two incense, though the dreams are indistinguishable from reality, there is no trace of odd shadows or gods within the dream, hence there are no means to ensure victory over the enemy. So during the periods of one and two incense, a storyteller is merely a skillful illusionist. The best strategy upon encountering an enemy is to create a dream to confuse the opponent, and then…” “And then flee?” Zhou Xuan pointed out the truth, causing Yuan Buyu to become red-faced and stammer: “How can the affairs of a storyteller… be called… fleeing? It’s an elegant departure.” “…” Zhou Xuan. “But the kidnapper’s Tangkou is wicked, using the blood, bones, soul, and flesh of young children to enhance their incense. The technique of the first incense is called ‘Hurried Steps,’ giving ankles the strength of steel, running much faster than regular people. At the second incense level is ‘Stepping on Grass Without Trace,’ running silently. Stacking the abilities of both incense levels, they can run quickly and silently, pouncing and ambushing, their legs can cleave a person’s skull to pieces, ranking extremely high in combat power at the two incense level.” Zhou Xuan understood upon hearing this. While each Tangkou has its own Incense Fire Level, some are strong and some are weak within the same level, and each Tangkou’s periods of strength vary. The storyteller relies on “retreat as the best strategy” for the first two levels of incense fire, while the kidnapper is like a wolf or leopard for their first two levels. One is too weak, the other too strong; the difference seen from inside and out is vast. Moreover, Zhou Xuan was still one level of incense fire behind Liu San the kidnapper. So, in Yuan Buyu’s eyes, not to mention counterattacking, even Zhou Xuan’s escape would have to rely on luck. Zhou Xuan said, “I don’t find the kidnapper too formidable either. His ‘Stepping on Grass Without Trace’ is useless against me; I can hear his footsteps due to my spiritual senses. Then I created a dream where I was killed by the butcher’s knife, deceiving the kidnapper to come investigate, after which I snuck up behind him and stabbed his neck.” “Clap!” Yuan Buyu clapped his hands together, nodding vigorously as he said, “That’s key! A storyteller cannot wield weapons in a dream, how were you able to use a knife?” “Is there such a rule?” “It’s not a rule, it’s a restriction! Storytellers emphasize self-discipline; they cannot use weapons in dreams. S~eaʀᴄh the Nôvel(F)ire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Forcing their use… the dream itself will hinder you.” Zhou Xuan recalled the scene of wielding the knife; indeed, as Yuan Buyu said, when he used the knife, the dream constrained him like mire. “I hated that kidnapper. Seeing half his face covered in blood filled me with rage. The desire to kill him was too intense. Then… thunder and torrential rain appeared in my Secret Realm, the Paperman Boatman and I shouted a ‘kill’ together, and the dream made way…” Zhou Xuan recounted the situation when he stabbed the kidnapper. “The dream made way for you?” Yuan Buyu pondered, looking up at the sky, saying, “I feel like what’s mine has changed character within you… it’s become imperious.” Why must a storyteller adhere to self-discipline and not be as domineering as Xiao Xuan? Before returning to the room to prepare medicine, Yuan Buyu kept questioning himself. … The night was silent. Zhou Xuan sat upright, continuing to write the story of “The White-Browed Hero,” reading out each part as he wrote, searching for the feeling of storytelling. The incense in his Secret Realm burned more slowly, and the lapping of water at the head of the White Canopy Boat almost could not be heard. Gathering incense fire had become a matter of urgency. He planned to finish writing the four episodes of the story by tonight, show them to Old Man Yuan tomorrow for feedback, and with luck, set up the stage to tell stories and gather incense fire the following night. Writing until the early morning, with just a few lines left to complete, suddenly, Zhou Xuan’s eyes burned painfully, his head felt like splitting – the side effects of the Blood Well’s spiritual power struck again. This time, the intensity was extreme. The door creaked open, Zhou Lingyi, with blood talismans drawn on both hands, holding up her ten fingers, entered…

Chapter 64 - 64 61 Self-Restraint Law

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