Taking a deep breath, Du Fei set down the scroll in his hand, slightly bowing in greeting, he said, "I am Du Fei, may I ask your name..."

"Du Qian."

The girl responded calmly, her gaze still fixed on the scrolls before her.

Du Qian?

Du Fei searched his mind for a moment. He seemed to have a vague impression of the name, but he couldn't quite place who she was.

Shaking his head slightly, Du Fei swiftly discarded that thought. At this moment, there seemed to be no need to dwell on it.

"If you're interested, just take and read them. After all, these things aren't mine."

Seeing Du Fei deep in thought, the girl looked up at him and remarked casually.

Hearing this, Du Fei nodded and without further ado, he picked up a few more scrolls and began reading them carefully.

"Eighth-grade martial technique, Merciful Hand..."

"Eighth-grade martial technique, Nine-Turn Wind Steps..."

"Eighth-grade martial technique, Connecting Clouds Divine Formula..."

Du Fei's voice trailed off as he read out the techniques.

As his gaze skimmed over the scrolls, Du Fei felt increasingly uncertain.

Any of these martial techniques appeared difficult to master at a glance, and each seemed to possess significant power. It was hard for him to make a choice...

"By the looks of you, you've never practiced any martial techniques, have you?" Slowly handing over a scroll she was holding to Du Fei, Du Qian said softly.

"Well...hehe..." Du Fei subconsciously took the scroll, feeling a bit embarrassed.

Seeming to sigh, Du Qian took a moment before randomly pulling out a scroll and handing it to Du Fei, "You don't need to choose anymore. If you haven't practiced martial techniques and don't have a renowned mentor, overly complex techniques will be too difficult for you to grasp. Just take this as a starter. I think it shouldn't be too hard for you to learn."

"Thank you!" Without being overly polite, Du Fei quickly took the scroll and eagerly opened it.

"Thunder-splitting technique, an eighth-grade martial technique, suitable for both close and long-range combat. Renowned for its agility and astounding destructive power. When practiced to perfection, each movement combines strength and softness, possessing extraordinary might. When the eight movements are executed simultaneously, they possess the mysterious unpredictability of gods and spirits. Among the eighth-grade martial techniques, it can be considered a standout, even comparable to certain seventh-grade techniques!"

"Thunder-splitting technique, the method of cultivation..."

After reading the cultivation method in detail for a moment, Du Fei couldn't help but feel elated. Although he wasn't sure if Du Qian intentionally gave this to him, regardless of how he saw it, the Thunder-splitting technique seemed to match his temperament perfectly, aligning well with the Soft Fist technique. If he began to cultivate it, the difficulty should be manageable.

"System, is there a way to record this?" Du Fei calmly commanded in his mind.

"Beep...Command accepted, data recording. Recording completed, ready for reading anytime!"

Hearing the cold yet familiar electronic sound, Du Fei smiled, casually rolling up the scroll and placing it back in front of Du Qian. He softly said, "Thank you, Sister Du Qian."

Seeing Du Fei's efficient actions, Du Qian seemed slightly taken aback. After a moment, she looked at Du Fei with a somewhat puzzling gaze and whispered, "You memorized the cultivation method?"

"Hehe, you could say that."

Hearing this, Du Qian was momentarily stunned before shaking her head.

Seeing her reaction, Du Fei didn't say much. He politely bowed and then slowly turned to leave. Time was of the essence, cultivation was urgent!

"Wait! Your name is Du Fei, right? Are you participating in the Clan Contest in half a month?"

Du Fei paused, then turned back and smiled, "Of course!"

"In that case, focus on cultivating these two techniques first. That eighth-grade martial technique isn't something you can master in just half a month!"

With that, the young girl casually flicked her wrist, and two more scrolls were thrown out.

Du Fei caught them effortlessly and gently unrolled one: "Ninth-grade martial technique..."

Early in the morning, the mist-enveloped waterfall at the back mountain was as usual. Occasionally, a gust of wind would tear through the mist of the mountain. Immediately, a faint silhouette emerged beneath the waterfall.

"That young girl might have an unknown background, but the things she picked out are indeed impressive..."

A murmur echoed, and moments later, a figure stomped forcefully on the ground. In a swift motion, the figure hurled forward, throwing a punch that landed fiercely on a massive boulder.

"Puff..."

The boulder remained unshaken. Moments later, on the opposite side of the stone, a ripple faintly flashed by. Subsequently, a clear fist imprint appeared on the boulder's surface.

"This Rebellion Fist, although a ninth-grade martial technique, is indeed quite peculiar. After channeling true breath, the power of this punch has at least doubled. Coupled with the previously mastered Cloud Step, when both are combined, the force of my strikes has at least doubled compared to using just the Soft Fist alone... With this, I might be able to contend with Du Qing!"

With less than ten days remaining before the Clan Contest, Du Fei, with the aid of the system, had already mastered two ninth-grade martial techniques, Rebellion Fist and Cloud Step.

Rebellion Fist, a ninth-grade martial technique, involved a reverse force when the fist is thrown and an opposite force when retracted. Although its offensive power was average, its unpredictable force was hard to defend against.

Cloud Step, a ninth-grade martial technique, moves as if through a forest and floats like clouds, incredibly swift and powerful, requiring one to reach the seventh level of body-forging to cultivate.

The great advantage of these two excellent martial techniques is that they don't have complicated routines or cultivation methods. Once one understood the operation of true breath within the techniques, mastering them would not be difficult.

For Du Fei, who had the assistance of a system, it was akin to having an exceptionally skilled teacher.

Both techniques were loaded into the system's database. When revisited, the dark space he experienced during the Soft Fist training also appeared in Du Fei's mind, greatly accelerating his cultivation speed.

However, even so, Du Fei was clear that after mastering these two ninth-grade martial techniques, contending with Du Qing shouldn't be a big issue. Yet, Du Fei also understood that, given Du Qing's status, he would undoubtedly be cultivating eighth-grade martial techniques, or even seventh-grade ones!

To defeat him decisively, Du Fei must complete the cultivation of Thunder-splitting technique!

Taking a deep breath, Du Fei knew he didn't have much time to waste. After a brief rest, he commanded in his mind, "Start reading the data of Thunder-splitting technique!"

"Beep! Command accepted. Loading data, beginning reading..."

With the cold electronic voice ringing, a vast dark space suddenly appeared in Du Fei's mind.

Feeling this space, which was much larger than before, another "Du Fei" that also emerged in the space slightly furrowed his brows. However, he didn't comment and focused intently on what lay ahead.

As time passed, suddenly, a figure shot out from a corner like lightning, leaving a trail of afterimages in mid-air.

The afterimage slowed just enough for Du Fei to see clearly. Within the translucent silhouette, a blue energy orb slowly began to flow.

Du Fei clearly recognized that the movement of this energy orb represented the flow pattern of the true breath when practicing and applying the Thunder-splitting technique. He quickly committed these details to memory.

Only then did he shift his focus entirely to Thunder-splitting technique.

Thunder-splitting technique was entirely different from the two martial techniques Du Fei had previously cultivated. The attack method of Thunder-splitting technique emphasized forthright and overwhelming power, aiming to knock down the opponent from the front. If it failed to hit, it would retreat a great distance in an instant. This aggressive and fierce approach was the essence of the Thunder-splitting technique.

Moreover, the Thunder-splitting technique cultivation mantra clarified that even though it had no specific moves or forms, as one's training deepened due to its unparalleled speed, the technique could produce afterimages, making it hard for others to discern.

Thunder-splitting technique consisted of Eight Movements! If cultivated to perfection, one's figure could produce eight afterimages in an instant, leaving opponents clueless about where the real attack would come from.

Of course, as a beginner, Du Fei could at best manage just one Movement. The so-called Eight Movements were not something that could be mastered in a mere few days.

"Whoosh..."

An afterimage, swift as lightning, darted in front of a waterfall. Moments later, with significant effort, the afterimage split into two and almost simultaneously descended upon a massive boulder.

"Boom!"

The massive stone shook violently, yet it didn't shatter. However, an empty hole appeared at the point of impact, passing through both sides, as a pile of stone dust drifted away with the wind.

"The second movement of Thunder-splitting technique is accomplished!" Du Fei wiped the sweat from his brow and stretched his neck.

There was only one day left until the Clan Contest. The annual grand event of the Du Family would begin early tomorrow!

A glint flashed in Du Fei's eyes. Finally, it was time.

"Du Qing! I'll reiterate! If you aim to cripple me, I swear, tomorrow, I'll cripple you in return!"

On the other side of the Du Family residence, there was an incredibly luxurious courtyard. Within the courtyard, maids dressed in sexy white robes bustled about. Birds chirped, flowers scented the air, and every aspect screamed luxury. Even within the Du Family, few could afford such opulence.

Suddenly, a muffled thunder rumbled from the sky, followed by a torrential downpour.

The white-robed maids were startled, shrieking as they scurried for shelter under the cloisters of the courtyard. The aroma from their bodies mingled in the air, creating a scene resembling a heavenly paradise.

At the center of the courtyard stood a beautifully crafted octagonal pavilion. Inside, two men in white robes sat facing each other.

At that moment, their gazes slowly roamed over the maids surrounding them, their eyes flashing with lewd intentions.

A moment later, the man on the left licked his lips and whispered, "Cousin, the Clan Contest is tomorrow."

The one who spoke with a sleazy expression was none other than Du Jie.

And the man seated opposite him was unmistakably Du Qing.

Hearing this, Du Qing chuckled, his demeanor cold as snow. "Three months have passed in the blink of an eye. I wonder how far Du Fei has progressed in his cultivation... In tomorrow's Clan Contest, he better not disappoint me! If I don't crush him with my own hands, how will I swallow this anger!"

"Of course," Du Jie replied with a lascivious grin, "as long as you succeed, cousin, then Little Ai... hahahaha..."

"Slap!"

Before Du Jie could finish laughing, his vision darkened. A forceful slap sent him flying into the rain. His face swelled up like a pig's head, and with a bewildered expression, he looked up at Du Qing.

Du Qing seemed as if he hadn't noticed at all. He just coldly chuckled and muttered to himself, "Anyone who dares to steal from me must die!"

Hearing this, Du Jie shivered all over. He hesitated for a moment as he staggered to his feet. Then, with sudden ferocity, he began slapping his own face.

"Slap..Slap...Slap...Slap..." The sounds of slapping echoed through the courtyard.

"Hahahaha...hahahahaha..."